University of Minnesota scientists have identified the chemicals tree-killing beetles use to communicate. Those could be formulated into repellents to safeguard one of the state’s signature trees.

The reason for the outbreak, Aukema’s lab found, is that the winters had become shorter and less severe. The beetles here at the very southern range of the boreal forest now have just enough warm days between deep freezes to reproduce multiple times. Healthy tamaracks can typically fend off one generation of young larvae. But they’re defenseless against two or more.

  • @voicesarefreeEnglish
    4•2 days ago

    Hopefully the pheromone treatment works and is an enduring fix. Incredible that only ~20% of the trees remain in MN after ~20 years.