Further development and emergence of new adult beetles from infested trees or cut materials may jeopardize valuable neighboring trees in the urban landscape or the forest. Even freshly cut, uninfested materials may attract and provide breeding sites for bark beetles. Freshly cut material from pruning, thinning, or tree removal in residential or landscape areas must be carefully managed to ensure that breeding populations of bark beetles do not infest the green inner bark. There are a number of techniques available to the homeowner for disposal of this material. If trees and branches are cut between May and September, to be effective, treatments should be completed within five weeks of cutting.
Immediate treatment is always best.
Trees and branches cut during winter months should be treated prior to May 1. Contact your local fire department for information on burn permits and safety issues. Burn seasons are generally limited to those times of year when air quality is not a factor and when woody material can be burned without threat of wildfire. Chipping destroys the habitat for beetles in uninfested material and destroys the beetles, offspring, and habitat in infested materials. Commercial providers may be able to chip material up to 12 inches in diameter, while home chippers will be limited to the processing of smaller branches.