Table Of ContentNivEflsfflSSiraiitfTi
Georgia Forestry Commission
Forest Health Fact Sheet
FORESTPEST
MANAGEMENT
GEORGIAFORESTRY
COMMISSION
SOUTHERN
PINE BEETLE
CONTROL TECHNIQUES
DEFINITIONS
Southern pine beetle (SPB) caused timber losses
can be reduced through the use of one or more The techniques used for SPB control are based on
recommended direct-control tactics. SPB control, biological and cost effectiveness. Furthermore, they
to be most effective, should be a year-round activity refleci the reality ofSPB outbreaks and focus on the
Major efforts should be made from late spring through achievable goal ofcontrollingspot growth. Four tech-
fall to controlactivelyspreadinginfestations. Winterand niques or methods are used to control SPB spot growth.
early spring treatment is also important to reduce the A briefdefinition ofeach follows:
—
potential for spot growth as well as new spot develop-
1. Cut and remove fellingand removal ofinfested
ment later in the spring and summer. Although infesta- trees and abuffer ofadjacent, uninfested, green trees.
tions are concentrated in fewer trees for longer periods (Figure 1) This technique reduces the number ofbee-
of time during the colder months, the spots are harder tles available to attack new trees.
to detect from the air because ofslower crown discol- —
2. Cut and leave fellingofinfested trees and a buffer
oration.
ofadjacent, uninfested, green, trees toward the center
ofthe spot. This technique disrupts
pheromone production and beetle attack-
behavior.
—
3. Cut and hand spray felling, limbingand
buckinginfested trees into manageable lengths
and hand sprayingwith Lindane or Dursban
(Chlorpynfos). This technique destroysbeetle
broodsbefore and duringemergence.
—
4. Pileand bum felling, pilingand burning
infested trees to destroybeetle broodsbefore
RtCEIVEb
they emerge.
2
DEC. 1 1994
DUCUMENTS
,
August). When cut and remove is
used, onlyinfested trees should be
cut; trees vacated by the SPB should
remain standing. Uninfested trees
within a 200-foot red-cockaded
woodpeckerbuffershould notbe
cut unless absolutelynecessaryto
prevent the SPB from infesting
cavity trees.
CUT AND LEAVE
General Forest Area
Cut and leave involves felling
infested trees and a bufferstrip of
uninfested trees so that the crowns
point toward the center ofthe spot.
This treatment disruptsspot growth
Fig. 1. Thebufferstnpshouldbeatleastthewidthofthetallesttreesinthespot,andshouldencom- and causes emergingadultbeetles to
passtheactivehead.
disperse into the surrounding forest.
CUT AND REMOVE some financial return. However, It isusually recommended forspots
with 100 infested trees orless.
removal ofindividual spotsis not
General Forest Area always practicalbecause ofinaccessi- Cut and leave is practical,
Cut and remove is the prompt bility insufficientvolume, poorlum- relativelyinexpensive, and requires
removal ofinfested trees. Removal ber orpulpwood markets, and a minimum oflabor, equipment,
ofinfested trees and an adequate environmental considerations. In and training. The procedure canbe
buffer strip preventsspots from addition, cut and remove often takes applied soon afterspots are
spreading. The inclusion ofa buffer longerto implement than alternative detected. Freshly-attacked trees are
ensures the removal offreshly- tactics. Despite these limitations, cut sometimes difficult to detect during
attacked pines that were overlooked and remove, when properlyand the early stages ofattack. Therefore,
orbecame infested after the spot promptlyapplied, remains the most the majordisadvantage is that a
was first evaluated and marked. SPB practicalandeconomical control tac- buffer strip ofgreen, uninfested
infested trees mustbe promptly tic for treatingmost large, rapidly- trees must be felled aroundeach
removed to achieve maximum effec- growinginfestations. spot to assure that freshly-attacked
tiveness: stoppingadditional spot trees are included in the treatment.
spread. Because both the beetles In the general forest area, many
and theirassociated pheromone Near Red-Cockaded Woodpecker landowners, are reluctant to
source are removed from the site, Colony Sites sacrifice this bufferifthe trees
cannotbe salvaged.
the potential forspot spread is mini- Cut and remove can be
Expandingspots involvingmore
mized. disruptive to the red-cockaded
Managers and owners usually woodpecker and should not be than 100 active trees are more
prefercut and remove overthe other used duringthe red-cockaded difficult to stop with cut and leave.
Breakouts are more likely to occur
control options because infested woodpeckerbreedingseason (from
treesare removed from the forest March 1 until the younghave forspots exceeding 100 active trees.
and used, givingthe landowner fledged, approximatelyJuly- Nevertheless, cut and leave
remainsuseful mainly because of son. After the breedingseason and will be limited because ofhigh
—
anotherbeneficial effect when a duringthe winter months the more costs, the need to fell andsprayall
bufferstrip is included, it usually effective cut-and-remove method surfaces ofinfested trees, safety
stops the expansion ofa spot. The canbe used. Trees vacatedby the precautions, and toxicityto non-tar-
biological rationale forspot SPB will not be cut. Uninfested trees get organisms.
disruptionby cut and leave isbased within a 200-foot red cockaded
on the way individual spots expand woodpeckercolonybufferzone will
dunngthe summer. Continuous not be cut unless absolutelyneces- Near Red-Cockaded Woodpecker
spot growth requires at least three sary to prevent the SPB from infest- Colony Sites
factors: emergingbeetles, nearby ing cavity trees. This method canbe used when
pine trees, and a source of alternative methods are outside
secondaryattractants. Felling the theireffective period (cut and leave
most recently attacked trees CUT AND HAND SPRAY duringMarch and April) ornot
eliminates the attractant source. The General Forest Area feasible, orwhen a biological
felled bufferstrip eliminates nearby Cut and hand spray is the felling, evaluation determines that foraging
unattacked pines, and beetles limbingand bucking ofinfested habitat loss due to controlmust be
emerging from the infested trees trees into manageable lengths and minimized. Inno case will any
tend to disperse in the absence of hand spraying with an insecticide. standingtreesbe sprayed.
attractants. Insecticides may be used to control
The fate ofbeetles that are not the SPB in individual trees orsmall
killed or removed mechanically has groups oftrees. Registered PILE AND BURN
been partially explained by SPB insecticides, Lindane and Dursban General Forest Area
population dynamics research. This (Chlorpyrifos), are available for this Pile andburn refers to the felling,
research has determined that long- purpose. Although chemical control piling, andburningofinfested trees.
range beetle dispersal normally is costly and raisessome environ- This technique is one ofthe oldest
occurswhen temperature— mental concerns, it maybe the best SPB control methods, and also is
conditions are favorable from alternative in urban forests, high- one ofthe most effective when
Novemberthrough March. Very value recreational areas and, to a properly done. However, because of
little dispersal occurs dunngthe limited degree, in commercial high costs andenvironmental
warmermonthsbecause ofthe forestswhen othermethods cannot constraints, the practice hasbeen
weakened physiological condition be used. used sparinglyinrecentyears. The
—
ofthe beetles the stored fat from Because ofhigh costs and barkmust be completelyburned to
which the beetles draw energy for environmental concerns, no large- achieve control. Vacated treesneed
flight is lowest during this period. scale chemical barkbeetle control notbe cut, piled, and burned. For
projects are likely tobe undertaken practical reasons, both infested and
Near Red-Cockaded in the South. Nevertheless, a need vacated treesare usually piled and
Woodpecker Sites remains fora fast-acting, effective burned to clear the site for
Cut and leave is the preferred tactic to reduce SPB concentrations. regeneration. Because burningcan
technique forcontrollingspots near To date, only insecticide sprays can cause wildfires, this technique
red-cockadedwoodpeckercolony assure this level ofprotection. In should be restricted to periods of
sites duringthe birds' breeding commercial forests, insecticides are low fire danger. Also, federaland
season. The effectiveness ofthis useful for treatingsmall spots dur- state airpollution lawsmustbe
method is greatest from May to ingthe winter, spotsinaccessible to followed.
October, which generally coincides heavyequipment, and orbreakouts. The biological rationale forpile
with the red-cockadedbreedingsea- The use ofinsecticides in forests and burn is comparable to that for
cut and remove and cut and hand Near Red-Cockaded Woodpecker southern pine beetles is the check-
—
spray the beetles are destroyed if Colony Sites ered beetle. (Figure 2) Regardless of
the infested bark is completely This method will notbe used in the control technique, older killed
burned. This practice hasbeen ornearactive red-cockaded wood- trees should be left standing where
largely abandoned, however, pecker colonies. feasible toprotectasmanycheckered
because ofthe laborand logistical beetles as possible. These older kills
usually harbor numerous checkered
problems involved. In most cases,
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL beetles, andtheyalsoprovidevarious
heavyequipment must be used to
woodpeckerswithnestingsites.
pile the trees. Inwet areas, burning Several species of parasitic and
felled treesbecomes extremely predacious insects feed on southern
difficult. In dryareas, the procedure pinebeetles. Theirabilityto keep the
southern pine beetle under control
increases the chances ofwildfire,
and burningmustbe restricted to depends on many factors. The insect
dayswhen fire dangeris low. most famous for its ability to devour
Fig. 2.Anadultcheckered beetle feedingonasouthern pinebeetle Checkeredbeetlesrequirealongerdevelopmentperiodthansouthernpinebeetlesand
this reason that older kill treesbe left when feasible
