Cold Snap Expected To Slow Pine Beetle’s March
Wednesday, February 06, 2008 at 13:42
The recent snap of cold weather across the Prairies will have done significant damage to the mountain pine beetle, according to an expert on the creature.
However, Dr. Rory McIntosh warns residents shouldn’t expect a knockout blow to have been delivered to the pest.
He notes the beetle has had several weeks to prepare itself for the onset of frigid temperatures.
And while temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius can kill the beetle, he says it will take more than that to halt their advance from Alberta to our province.
McIntosh adds the beetle’s blood right now is like antifreeze, because they’ve had so much time to adapt to the cold.
Meantime, McIntosh says the proposed link from La Loche to Fort McMurray could also aid the beetle’s march across the boreal forest.
He says anyone bringing firewood with bark into the province could help spread the pest.
McIntosh says this reality has prompted a ban to be placed on the transportation of wood with bark into our province.