Write about an insect associated forestry?

Question

Write about an insect associated forestry?

Answer 1

There are any number of insects associated with forestry.  Most of these are pests that can damage or kill trees, or that are vectors of pathogens that can damage trees.

Some important and interesting ones that are currently prominent in North American forestry concerns include:

Emerald ash borer - A Buprestid beetle native to Asia that was introduced in the Michigan area a few years ago, it is killing huge stands of ash trees, and has spread into neighbouring states and Canada.  Moving outward rapidly under its own steam, as well as being carried unwittingly in firewood, packaging and nursery stock.

Asian longhorned beetle - Another Asian exotic invasive pest, it's a big, pretty beetle that burrows into a wide variety of hardwoods (it prefers maples).  There have been outbreaks in Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Toronto in recent years.  Mostly transported in packaging (pallets, cable spools), as well as in infested firewood.

Banded elm bark beetle - Yet another Asian invader, it was first identified in Colorado in 2003, and has since been found  in several US States, and now even in Canada.  It can kill elms directly (not just by vectoring DED as its cousin, the smaller European elm bark beetle), and can also probably carry DED.  Plus, it doesn't just attack elm, but also willow, Russian olive and caragana - greatly facilitating its ability to spread quickly throughout North America.  Also easily moved in infested firewood.