Black Hills Bagels Blog

Last week I and three other Master Gardeners, including my friend, Pam hansen (she just finished the course) treked behind Mount Rushmore in search of the not so illusive Mountain Pine Beetle. The devestation this ugly black beetle causes can be seen all around the Black Hills. On top of Harney Peak, the Black Elk Wilderness and it’s now affecting the National Memorial — Mount Rushmore. Dr. John Ball a professor at South Dakota State University literally travels the world helping communities and countries figure out what’s bugging their trees! Or what’s killing them or what the best tree for planting would be. A brilliant man! Anyway he led the rest of us through mostly lush, untravelled areas behind the monument looking for this nasty bug which kills Ponderosa Pine trees –absolutely. There is not turning back once this beetle drills through the bark, mates and lays about 75 eggs that overwinter and grow and eat inside the tree. I will be doing an “In The Garden” segment Tuesday on KOTA TV at 5:30 on this bug. hope you tune in…blog me with questions, hopefully I have some answers. If you have Ponderosa Pines — you need to watch this story.
Debra