Entomologist: Cold spell not enough to kill pine beetles

Helena’s recent wave of brutally cold temperatures probably isn’t doing much to beat back the mountain pine beetle infestation that’s killing hundreds of thousands of evergreen trees around here.

Entomologist Ken Gibson with the U.S. Forest Service in Missoula said low temperatures around 35 degrees below zero are needed for several days running before they’ll knock back the beetles.

The wind chill factor doesn’t count.

By EVE BYRON – Independent Record

Full Story: http://helenair.com/articles/2008/12/18/top/60lo_081218_beetles.txt