DENVER – September 19, 2022 |
Even though this year’s precipitation levels are only slightly below average, Colorado trees are still paying the price for last year’s drought, which has the warmest and dries last 6-months of the year in Colorado history.
A bark beetle officially named the Ips Engraver beetle is infecting Spruce and Austrian Pine trees across the state. Because none of these trees are native to Colorado, it makes them more susceptible to infestation and disease.
Our certified Arborist, Tony Hahn, spoke with 9News about why these insects are now affecting trees and what property owners can do to address the spread.
Tony explains, “it takes trees several months to react to negative stress. This is a major outbreak caused by the hot, dry, and stressful weather Colorado has experienced in the last year.” He continued explaining why Ips Engravers attack certain trees, “when trees get weakened by drought stress, a chemical signal from the tree is omitted. These insects recognize the scent and gravitate to it.”
To ensure you protect your trees from damage and slow the spread, Tony’s mentioned removing infested trees but also warned that this outbreak could last more than a year.
For more tips from our team of certified arboriculturists, contact us at
info@denvercps.com
