Modified: May 17, 2010

Insects make up a large part of the diet of many of our local birds.  Consequently, insect population levels can have an impact on the yearly population cycles of many birds.  Here are the results of a long term study done at the Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Monitoring Station.  The station was established by the National Science Foundation’s Long Term Ecological Research Program with the support of the University of Alaska in the hopes of  understanding and documenting the long term consequences of the changing climate to Alaska landscape, flora, and fauna.  Population levels for select species of defoliating insects have been monitored for the past 30 years; here are the graphical representations of those findings.

Insect population levels at Bonanza Creek

Spruce beetle, Ips beetle, and Larch beetle:

Werner, Richard. 2003. Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest Defoliating Insect Population Levels Per Trap Beginning in 1975, Bonanza Creek LTER-University of Alaska Fairbanks. BNZ:35, http://www.lter.uaf.edu/data_detail.cfm?datafile_pkey=35. NSF Grant numbers DEB-0620579, DEB-0423442, DEB-0080609, DEB-9810217, DEB-9211769, DEB-8702629 and USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station RJVA-PNW-01-JV-11261952-231.

Spruce budworm, Larch bud moth, Larch sawfly, Spear-marked black moth, Large aspen tortrix, leaf beetles, leaf miners, leaf rollers:

Werner, Richard. 2003. Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest Defoliating Insect Population Levels Per Leaf Beginning in 1975, Bonanza Creek LTER-University of Alaska Fairbanks. BNZ:37, http://www.lter.uaf.edu/data_detail.cfm?datafile_pkey=37. NSF Grant numbers DEB-0620579, DEB-0423442, DEB-0080609, DEB-9810217, DEB-9211769, DEB-8702629 and USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station RJVA-PNW-01-JV-112621952-231.

Photo Credits

Larch beetle – ©Darren Blackford, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Ips beetle, Spruce beetle, Birch leaf roller, Spear-marked Black moth – ©Edward H. Holstien USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org.

Large Aspen Tortrix – ©Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org.

Spruce Budworm – ©Jerald E. Dewey, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org.

Larch Sawfly – ©Northeastern Area Archive, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org.

Aspen leaf miner – ©Ogden Archive, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org.

Larch Bud-moth – ©Daniel Adam, Office National des Forets, Bugwood.org

Cottonwood leaf beetle – ©David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org