Those hungry mountain pine beetles that have chewed through more than 10 million hectares of B.C. forests are snuggled down for the winter and probably won't be killed by a cold snap that's gripping the province.
University of B.C. mountain pine beetle specialist Dr. John McLean says the beetles are at the height of their hibernation protection and sustained temperatures below -40 degrees would be required to cause a significant kill.
But he's more hopeful that temperatures verging on -40 in the Grande Prairie region of Alberta over the next few days will help slow the beetle's movement into that province.
Pine beetles were first spotted in Alberta forests in 2006 and McLean says the extent of their progress last year is still be assessed.
As for wiping out the pest in B.C., McLean says extreme cold just as the bug is emerging from hibernation in March would cause it significant harm.
He says this is the first truly frigid weather to push into B.C. in several winters and only time will tell if it is enough to help kill the voracious beetle.
