Fascinating (or Frightening?) Forest Insects

Glenn Kohler, Forest Entomologist with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, will talk about the fascinating—and sometimes frightening—world of forest insects. Most of the bugs you encounter in the woods are good for a healthy ecosystem: pollinators like bees and butterflies; predators and parasites that control unwanted pest outbreaks; and many types of insects that feed on decaying wood to return nutrients to the soil, like wood borers and termites. A few of our native forest insects are considered bad pests because they can kill or damage trees. These include bark beetles and defoliating insects like caterpillars and aphids. Outbreaks of these forest pests can become very noticeable when we see more dead and dying trees across the landscape. Some respond to drought, weather events, or wildfires that weaken trees—others, like many defoliators, have regular outbreak return cycles that are almost predictable. Then there are the ugly ones—non-native insects, like emerald ash borer and spongy moth, that can really get out of hand because our native trees have little defense against them. Glenn will share some of the more interesting stories of how these good, bad, and ugly insects operate.