The Silent Screams of Dying Trees

Aug 17, 2007

The tree above has been recently attacked by beetles: the blobs of sap show where they tunneled in to lay their eggs. Healthy trees can produce enough sap to overwhelm a few beetles and drive them off, but these trees are weakened by prolonged drought, and in the last few years the region has not seen the sustained bitter winter temperatures needed to kill eggs and larvae already inside the trees.

^ This tree is much closer to death, hence the red color (and many, many holes).

^ I don't know what caused this, but it's sort of pretty, though probably a bad sign for the tree.

^ Dunno what caused this, either. Possibly the bark was stripped off by rangers investigating the infestation.

^ ...and this one's not beetle-related, but just plain scary!

This beetle attack has been going on for years, and many trees have fallen. By some estimates, 90% of Colorado's lodgepole pines will be lost before this is over.

Denver Post: Pine-beetle battle turns desperate

High Country News: Global Warming’s Unlikely Harbingers

Rocky Mountain National Park 1, 2, 3