Important Seasonal Reminder about the spruce bark beetles in Alaska. The “beetle flight period” generally occurs between mid-May to mid-July, during which spruce beetles are actively seeking new trees. Avoid harvesting live spruce or creating fresh spruce slash during the beetle flight period unless logs and slash created during harvesting are able to be promptly processed. This includes milling of the logs, cutting/splitting for firewood, debarking, chipping or burying. Once spruce beetles attack a tree, nothing can be done to reverse the impact of the beetle attacks on the tree.
Learn more with these additional resources:
DOF’s Forest Management and Spruce Beetle Information Page: http://forestry.alaska.gov/insects/sprucebeetle
DOF’s Forest Management and Spruce Beetle publication: https://www.alaskasprucebeetle.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2019/04/AKDOF-FH-Issues-SBB-2018-V2.pdf
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
UAF-Cooperative Extension Service publication on spruce beetle: https://alaskasprucebeetle.open.uaf.edu/…/PMC-100673.pdf
Categories: AK Fire Info, Spruce beetle
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 