Baiting for Bark Beetle Management Activity

Pheromone (semiochemical) baits are used to manipulate the behaviour of bark beetles by concentrating new attacks on baited trees that will be treated before the next beetle flight. They are not considered a treatment but a tool to augment the efficacy of treatments.

Three general methods are used and are described briefly in the Bark Beetle Management Guidebook:

1. Contain and Concentrate (for harvesting)
2. Use with single tree treatments (mop-up baiting and lethal tree baiting)
3. Monitoring - either with tree baits or funnel traps (for timing of hauling restrictions and MSMA application)

Only the latter two methods (single tree treatment and monitoring) are eligible for FIA funding since harvest related baiting is already an eligible expense recognized in the Interior Appraisal Manual.

Another consideration is the requirement to ensure that baited trees are treated after they are attacked and before the brood emerges. FPPR Forest Planning and Practices Regulation section 41 states:

Recipients employing baits for augmenting non-harvesting treatments should request the exemption noted in the regulation because of the uncertainty in the levels of DFAM transition funding at the time of baiting may not guarantee the mop-up baited sites will be treated.

Activity Standards

• General guidelines on use of tree baits are available in the Phero Tech Inc. Technical Bulletin (pdf, 4.1 MB) [Providing this reference does not infer an endorsement of this specific manufacturer]. Refer specifically to the descriptions of bait deployment for spot baiting, mop-up baiting and lethal tree baiting and the notes on field placement. Activity standards must include a general description of bait deployment based on this reference.

Sample Contract Specifications for Baiting

FIA LBIP Incremental Forest Health Page