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Q: Some friends have property in the mountains. They have cut down trees newly attacked by mountain pine beetle. They offered us some of the wood for our wood stove. Our friends have assured us that the beetles die when the trees are cut down. Is this true? Can we safely store the wood from these trees in our yard?
A. The answer to your question is no. Mountain pine beetle will live in logs that have been cut down, as the beetles continue their life cycles. Adult beetles will not emerge until the following year, July through September. In recent months, the loss of pines in urban landscapes due to mountain pine beetle has become a problem along the Front Range. However, it is unusual to see Austrian, limber and Scots pines die from mountain pine beetle in city areas. Many of these incidents were traced to firewood brought in from the mountains last year. The best rule of thumb is to not move firewood from mountain areas, and be careful to not transport beetle-killed trees into our communities.
For more information on mountain pine beetle, please visit ext.colostate.edu and search for Fact Sheet #5.528, "Mountain Pine Beetle."
For information on a variety of horticulture topics visit www.planttalk.org, or call the Colorado State University Extension office in your county.
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