Oregon Public Broadcasting

A Forest Service researcher has found that a common, natural chemical dramatically reduces the number of trees killed by bark beetles.   Pete Springer reports.

Bark beetles—especially the mountain pine beetle—are an enormous problem in western forests.

Tens of millions of acres of western forests have been killed by the beetles in recent years.

Nancy Gillette is a research entomologist. She  says the chemical verbenone  essentially tells beetles their food is used up. 

Nancy Gillette “This is not an insecticide.  It doesn’t kill beetles.  It sends a message to them that the resource is not suitable for them to use.”

Gillette says verbanone is found in rosemary, decomposing pine needles, and walnut husks.

It costs about $100 to treat an acre of forest with the chemical and it’s not affected by rain or snow.

But she adds that it’s not yet practical to treat large areas with verbenone.

Gillette hopes to see it used in the short term at campgrounds and visitor sites.