Insects
Nationwide, 70 million acres of public and private lands are at serious risk from insects and diseases--most of which are nonnative invasives.
Across the South, one of the biggest forest management challenges is the Southern Pine Beetle. Attacking timber stands throughout the region, it is estimated that 57 million acres are at risk of infestation. From 1999 to the present, the Southern Pine Beetle outbreak has caused timber value losses of over $1.5 billion.
In the Midwest, the Emerald Ash Borer has killed more than 20 million ash trees in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. This has cost municipalities, property owners, nursery operators and forest products industries tens of millions of dollars. The exotic beetle was first discovered near Detroit in 2002.
The Forest Threat Summary Viewer will provide you with a one page summary that includes images, distribution maps, forestry contacts, and links to more information about these and other insect pests. To learn about the Forest Threat Summary Viewer and more advanced tools, see Data and Tools.
Current projects related to insects
Other resources and publications:
Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team products
Encyclopedia of Environmental Threats
Forest Health Protection - Insects
Eastern Forest Insect and Disease Leaflets