Beetles All Around

About a week ago, I returned from a photo shoot to Yellowstone N. P.  As always, it was great to be there although I had hoped for some early season snow.  Not a sure thing  by mid-October but certainly possible.  Instead, the weather was nearly summery with everything very dry and temps in the 60's and  70's.  I was able to get to every part of the park, at least briefly.  The image that accompanies this post was taken near Sylvan Pass, a high elevation location near the east entrance.  It shows the devestation that has occurred over much of the mountain west over the past few years, a mature lodgepole pine forest stripped of all life by the Pine Bark Beetle.  Although the beetle is native to the west, it has exploded in numbers because of global warming; specifically the absence of very cold winter temps that normally kill off most of an infestation.  Over the past five years, literally millions of acres of pine forests have been destroyed increasing the threat of large wildfires and causing food shortages for the grizzly population.   It was pretty discouraging to look out over vast expanses of gray in what should have been vibrant green.

There was one related curiosity, however.  The day after I was at Sylvan Pass, I drove to the Northeast Entrance near Cooke City, a similar elevation and similar lodgepole pine forest.  There was very little evidence of beetles in that part of the park.  None of the park employees I talked with about the disparity had an answer as to why.  Sure hope that the next time I go back, the beetles will not have found the northeast section of the park.