2002 October Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

October 2002 Report—Chapter 4

Case Study 4.2—Two alien beetles are clear and present dangers

In the summer of 2000, Point Pleasant Park in Halifax was infested with brown spruce longhorn beetles from Europe. By March 2002, more than 2,600 spruce trees in the park had been destroyed by authorities to control the bug, and another 1,600 outside the park boundaries. At present, the only control action thought to be effective is to quarantine infested or potentially infested areas and burn the trees.

Should quarantine and control efforts fail, the brown spruce longhorn beetle could spread throughout most of the softwood forests of Canada. Softwood is an extremely important and valuable source of lumber and pulp wood. In 1997 (the most recent year for which reliable data are available), sales of softwood lumber totalled more than $13 billion.

The Asian long-horned beetle has been intercepted by authorities in Vancouver and southern Ontario. While authorities believe that efforts to prevent that bug from becoming established in Canada have been successful, the Asian long-horned beetle poses a serious threat to Canada. The larvae of the Asian long-horned beetle tunnel under tree bark and bore into healthy hardwood trees, where they feed on living tissue and eventually kill the tree by disrupting the flow of water and nutrients. In Ontario and Quebec, more than 50 sawmills process hardwood, which is in high demand today for flooring, furniture, and cabinetry. Sales of hardwood totalled more than $480 million in 1997. The maple tree, which scientists have identified as the preferred diet of the Asian long-horned beetle, is a staple of the hardwood lumber industry. Maple syrup and sugar products were valued at more than $130 million annually in 1997.

Point Pleasant Park in Halifax with container port nearby.

Photo: Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Spruce trees killed by the brown spruce longhorn beetle in Point Pleasant Park, Nova Scotia.

Photo: Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Asian long-horned beetle larvae are wood borers and a serious threat to hardwoods such as Canadian maples.

Photo: Kenneth R. Law