Arizona's WildLife

The mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) is a small bark beetle native to Arizona and other western North American forests, primarily infesting ponderosa pines and other pine species. Though tiny in size, these beetles are capable of causing widespread tree mortality by burrowing under bark to lay eggs, disrupting the flow of nutrients and introducing blue-stain fungi. Outbreaks can lead to large-scale forest die-offs, altering forest structure, fire risk, and wildlife habitats. While they play a natural ecological role in thinning forests and cycling nutrients, mountain pine beetle populations are closely monitored due to their potential to dramatically impact forest health and local ecosystems.