I post this picture not due to any great photographic quality but simply to illustrate how some of our gorgeous mountain areas in Colorado have been affected by this little bug.
This mountainside, as you can see, has had at least 50% of its pine trees killed. For nearly 20 years, this insect has feasted on our trees, aided by dry and warm winters that failed to stem the tide.
The good news is that the things have pretty much eaten themselves out of habitat now and their numbers of declined significantly. However, the effects will linger for decades with sad scenes like this in the high country. ?
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