Pine Shoot Beetle in Ohio
The pine shoot beetle (Tomicus piniperda) was first detected on a Lorain County Christmas tree farm in July, 1992.
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Entry hole to beetle channel in pine shoot.
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The insect was probably introduced into the United States through ship dunnage from infested areas of Europe and Asia. As the lead agency in the effort to delineate and control the infestation, the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA - APHIS) immediately began surveying for the beetle.
Surveys indicated the presence of pine shoot beetle in six states, including a few Ohio counties. In November, 1992 APHIS established a quarantine on Pine Shoot Beetle and Pine articles.
Counties continue to be added to the quarantine area, although it is unclear whether this is due to spread of the insect or discovery of the beetle in areas that previously harbored population, but escaped detection.
Restrictions on logging and transportation of pine is the only real impact seen in Ohio thus far. Most of the impacts have been on ornamental species due to regulation of movement. Articles regulated under the quarantine include cut pine Christmas trees, logs and lumber with attached bark, pine nursery stock, and pine bark chips.
Many factors determine what needs to be done to move these articles from or through a quarantined area. Some of these factors include the article's point of origin, the article's final destination, month of shipment, ambient air temperature during shipment, and month when article was cut or harvested.
Depending on these factors, inspections, certificates of treatment, permits, and/or compliance agreements may be required to transport regulated articles.
Pine Shoot Beetle Damage
The pine shoot beetle may infest many species of pine, but Scotch pine is the preferred host. The beetle can cause serious damage to the new growth of healthy pine trees, the trunks of weak pine trees, and bark covered logs and lumber.
Cosmetic damage to pines growing on Christmas tree farms and nurseries may result in reduced product quality and substantial economic loss.
Pine shoot beetle has not impacted Ohio's forests to any measurable degree because it only attacks pine species and Ohio forest stands in general have a low percentage of pine. These stands will be resistant to the pine shoot beetle except where large tracts of pine are grown. |