|
Q. Are BeetleBlock products different from other MCH and Verbenone on the market?
Q. What is an Integrated Pest Management Strategy?
Q. How do I tell my pine trees from Douglas fir trees?
Q. I’ve never head of the Pine beetle – is this something new?
Q. Why are we having a problem now?
Q. How does such a small beetle manage to kill so many large trees?
Q. How many beetles does it take to kill my tree?
Q. I have beetles inside my house, are they going to damage my furniture?
Q. Will beetles attack my log house?
Q. Will BeetleBlock™ products work better if I also spray my trees with pesticide?.
Q. What happens to the beetle after I apply BeetleBlock™ products? Will they attack my neighbors’ trees?
Q. What do I do if I have a tree that has been attacked?
Q. Why do I need to remove the infested trees?
Q. Will high winds affect the BeetleBlock™?
Q. Do I have to put BeetleBlock™ on all the trees?
Q. Will my pet get sick or die if he eats BeetleBlock?™
Q. I have seen traps on your Synergy.com website. Can I use these?
Q. Do I need to remove BeetleBlock™ after the flight is over?
Q. Can I store unused pouches or bubbles for next year?
Q. Is BeetleBlock™ harmful to the environment?
Q. I know this is an EPA approved product. Can I my neighbors and I put in a single order?
Q. I don’t see my question here. Who can I turn to now?
Answers
Q. Are BeetleBlock products different from other MCH and Verbenone on the market?
A. Yes, BeetleBlock products are different. They have been designed to last the entire season and do not need to be replaced. Replacing the product can easily double your cost. Our Verbenone product has a reinforced strip at the top that prevents accidental puncture of the pouch. Furthermore we pride ourselves in providing expert and timely support. Contact us at 604-454-1122 or shoot us an email at synergy@semiochemical.com.
back to top
Q. What is an Integrated Pest Management Strategy?
A. An integrated pest management strategy considers the use of all available tools to control pests. For pine and fir beetles they would include removal of infested trees, thinning stands, watering and/or fertilizing when possible, and the use of products such as BeetleBlock™.
Q. How do I tell my pine trees from Douglas fir trees?
A. Very easily: Pine trees have more than one needle attached to the tree. This is called a ‘bundle’. Often, the number of needles in a bundle determines the species. Fir trees and spruce have only one needle, and often the shape of the needle can determine the species.
back to top
Q. I’ve never heard of the Pine beetle – is this something new?
A. No, they are not new. Pine beetle have always coexisted as a natural part of the ecosystem in our forests. These insects are part of the web of life that contributes to healthy forest ecosystems. In a healthy stand of trees and low beetle population, only the sick or diseased trees would usually be attacked.
Q. Why are we having problem now?
A. There are many factors at work; trees growing too close together, drought, lack of species diversity (pure pine or fir stands) and removal of forest fires from the ecosystem are all contributing factors. Recently lack of adequate water has been a problem through out western North America. Drought makes a tree less able to withstand a beetle attack. Sudden cold snaps (-25 degrees C) in the early fall or late spring, can kill populations of beetles, and help end serious outbreaks.
Back to top
Q. How does such a small beetle manage to kill so many large trees?
A. There are a couple of things at work here. When the beetles attack a tree, they do so to lay their eggs under the bark. Their larvae (the hatched eggs) use the material under the bark (phloem) to mature, robbing the tree of water and nutrients. They also carry a fungus (Blue Stain Fungus) that further robs the trees of water and makes it less able to defend itself against beetle attacks.
Q. How many beetles does it take to kill my tree?
A. The answer depends on many factors. It is thought that 40 successful attacks per square yard will be fatal to the tree. The difficulty is how to assess whether the attacks have been successful or not. Sometimes blind attacks occur and these are almost impossible to find if the timing of observation isn’t perfect. It is important to note that when the first few beetles successfully attack a tree, they will emit a pheromone that will attract more beetles into the area. Also, for every beetle that mates inside your tree, up to 60 will emerge next year. Even lightly attacked trees may succumb to further beetle attack in the following year as these trees are highly attractive to beetles. This makes prevention the most important part of any beetle management strategy. Just like interest compounding on a bank loan, early prevention and suppression efforts are the methods mostly likely to succeed in the long run by keeping beetle numbers from growing exponentially.
Back to top
Q.. I have beetles inside my house, are they going to damage my furniture?
A. No, the beetles may have emerged from firewood brought into the house. They need a live tree to bore into and will not attack dead wood. Use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of them.
Q. Will beetles attack my log house?
A. No, they need a live tree and will not attack dead wood.
Q. Will BeetleBlock™ products work better if I also spray my trees with pesticides?
A. Using a pesticide is a decision you will have to make as part of a beetle management strategy. You will need to consider how close the sprayed trees are to your home and garden, the number and size of the trees you want to protect, the impact on the environment, and your finances. Traditional pesticides all have non-target effects meaning they can negatively impact beneficial species. It is important to note that even traditional pesticides cannot save trees that have already been attacked!!! All known beetle treatments are only PREVENTATIVE. Once sufficient blue stain fungus has been introduced, the tree will eventually die. BeetleBlock™ products are highly species specific and will not affect anything other than the target beetle, so there is minimal risk of poisoning anything when used properly.
Back to top
Q. What happens to the beetle after I apply BeetleBlock™ products? Will they attack my neighbors’ trees?
A. Not necessarily. The beetles will continue to seek a host tree and will do so until one is found. They do have a limited amount of energy ability to fly and many will die trying to find a tree. In addition, many more will become meals for the myriad of predators.
Q. What do I do if I have a tree that has been attacked?
A. You should assess the number of attacks and whether or not they are successful (pitch). If the attack is numerous and successful, you need to remove the tree before the beetles emerge from the bark.
Q. Why do I need to remove the infested trees?
For many reasons: Many more beetles will emerge next year than went in this year. Injured trees are far more attractive to beetles than healthy trees. Dead trees are a serious fire hazard. Downed logs will attract a host of other beetles.
Q. Will high winds affect the BeetleBlock™?
A. Yes. Prevailing wind direction will help determine where to place the BeetleBlock™ to protect you trees. High winds can also help to blow away the beetles.
Back to top
Q. Do I have to put BeetleBlock™ on all the trees?
A. No, the effective radius of BeetleBlock ™ Verbenone is approx. 15 feet (4.5 M). It can be applied to any tree, a fence post, or even a post hammered into the ground. See our section on “How to Use BeetleBlock Products”
Q. Will my pet get sick or die if he eats BeetleBlock™?
A. No, it is highly unlikely. Staple BeetleBlock™ out of reach of animals.
Q. I have seen traps on your Synergy.com website. Can I use these?
A. Inappropriate trap use can lead to unwanted infestations Traps alone have never been proven to be an effective beetle suppression tool. Bark beetle traps suffer from a phenomenon known as ‘spill over attack’ where any susceptible trees near the trap are almost as likely to be attacked as the trap is likely to capture beetles. However, there are instances where trapping, with the appropriate knowledge can be beneficial. Typically the use of traps will require placement at a minimum of 60 yards away from any susceptible tree. For more information on this, please contact us
Back to top
Q. Do I need to remove BeetleBlock™ after the flight is
over?
A. No, you do not need to remove BeetleBlock™ once the season is over. The active pheromones will be spent but the pouch/bubble will not do any harm while on the tree.
Q. Can I store unused pouches or bubbles for next year?
A. Yes, they can be stored until the next year as long as you keep the original package label and they are placed in an airtight container at below freezing temperatures. We recommend either glass (e.g. canning jars) or metal (e.g. new 1 gallon paint cans, metal food tins). We do not recommend plastic storage containers/bags
Q. Is BeetleBlock™ harmful to the environment?
A. No. BeetleBlock™ MCH and BeetleBlock™ Verbenone are natural pheromone repellants that the beetles use to communicate with each other. They are relatively nontoxic
Q. I know this is an EPA approved product. Can I my neighbors and I put in a single order?
A. Yes you and your neighbors can put in one order. Just remember that you cannot repackage BeetleBlock devices on your own. Each person in your group should receive 10 packs.
Q. I don’t see my question here. Who can I turn to now.
.A. You can contact us at the number below, or contact our in house expert. Click here to send an email.
Back to top
|
