Poudrecacher Favorite - Mountain Pine Beetle

CONGRATULATIONS TO DENALI41 FOR BEING FIRST TO FIND!!!

Poudrecacher , a geocacher who lives in the Poudre Canyon, placed a series of unique and innovative caches in and around the Poudre River Canyon. His “Nature Bats Last” series was a delight featuring varied and challenging hides. They became the favorite of many who geocached the Poudre Canyon. There comes a time when maintaining caches become physically challenging and Mother Nature says it is time to move on. This was the case with Poudrecacher, who with great remorse, had to archive many of his caches. So as to not lose these very special caches, ten of them are being re-born in a new series called “Poudrecacher Favorite”. This will allow these innovative caches to live on for the geocaching community to enjoy. Thanks Poudrecacher for allowing the rebirth of your caches and for the enjoyment you have given to geocachers seeking your caches!

Description from the original cache page:

As you enter Poudre Canyon by crossing the cattle guard driving west, go 8.7 miles to Poudre Park. You'll pass the Rusty Buffalo Campground and go over a small bridge...turn left and park across from Poudre River Rd. near the green/white old firehouse built into the bank.

As we write this today (April 28, 2011), the pasque flower (aka: May Day flower) is in full bloom near the pole with the breaker box in front of the firehouse. This lavender bell-shaped flower is the state flower of South Dakota.

If you look west of the firehouse, you'll see a group of dead ponderosa pine trees, many of which have been cut down. These are the first casualties in Poudre Park of the Mountain Pine Beetle. Yes, the same critter responsible for the outbreak in our lodgepole pine forests a bit higher up in the mountains. Follow your GPS west to the juniper tree that's out in the grass and walk over to the base of the ridge in the little clearing. Notice all the pitch tubes. Pitch tubes are popcorn-shaped masses of resin where beetle-tunneling begins. Please do not hike up the ridge since it is private property. YOU ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE CACHE!

The following excerpts are from: MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE BULLETIN, Mountain Pine Beetle and related bark beetles. David A. Leatherman and Whitney S. Cranshaw. Quick Facts

The mountain pine beetle (MPB) is the most common insect pest of Colorado's pine forests. MPB often kill large numbers of trees annually during outbreaks. Trees that are not growing vigorously due to old age, crowding, poor growing conditions, drought, fire or mechanical damage, root disease, and other causes are most likely to be attacked.

Mountain pine beetles develop in pines, particularly ponderosa, lodgepole, Scotch, and limber pines. During early stages of an outbreak, attacks are limited largely to trees under stress. MPB has a one-year life cycle in Colorado. In late summer adults leave the dead, yellow to red needled trees in which they developed. Females seek out living, green trees and start tunneling under the bark. Each beetle pair mates, forms a vertical tunnel (egg gallery) under the bark, and produces about 75 eggs. Following egg hatch, larvae (grubs) tunnel away from the egg gallery producing a characteristic feeding pattern. MPB larvae spend the winter under the bark. They continue to feed in the spring and transform into pupae in June and July. Emergence of adults can begin in early July and continue through September.

A key part of this cycle is the ability of MPB to transmit bluestain fungi. Spores of these fungi contaminate the bodies of adult beetles and are introduced into the tree during attack. Fungi grow within the tree, and together with beetle feeding, weaken the tree.

The 'poudrecacher' team live here in Poudre Park, and yup, we have several mature ponderosa pines in our yard. We haven't seen any pitch tubes in them...yet.

But hey, we are fully aware that Nature always bats last.

HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF POUDRE CANYON!