Cold Weather Expected To Only Delay Pine Beetle

Cold Weather Expected To Only Delay Pine Beetle

Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 13:03

A provincial expert on the mountain pine beetle says cold winter temperatures in Alberta have helped slow the advance of the insect toward Saskatchewan.

However, Dr. Rory McIntosh says it won’t stay down for long.

He estimates 90 to 95 per cent of the beetles in Alberta were killed off by the winter cold, but that still leaves enough insects to re-populate themselves in short order.

McIntosh says scientists on both sides of the border have composed maps outlining where they think the beetle will cross when it gets to the Saskatchewan border.

The area near Meadow Lake provincial park is one of the regions they are watching closely.