Plastic bubble capsules

Yesterday when I talked with Ty about my chainsaw, he also mentioned he had four extra plastic bubble capsules with a scent that is used to protect Douglas Fir trees from bark beetles.  His girlfriend had four extra capsules that they weren't going to use.  Apparently she has a business(?) and has placed these types of capsules on trees near homes around Flathead Lake to protect those trees.  Those people must have money.

While most of my trees are Spruce trees, with some Tamarack trees, a few of the trees in the NE corner of the ranch are Douglas Fir trees.  The tops are looking thin and are maybe distressed.

I still have lost most of my sense of smell.  So the scent from the capsules must be strong as I could smell it just a little bit.   Odd for me to be able to smell anything.

The capsules last 60 days.

Ty stapled the capsules to my Douglas Fir trees.  He placed the capsules just above our height.  This was so the cattle can't reach the capsules.

Info about the capsules:

MCH (3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one) is a natural anti-aggregation pheromone produced by Douglas-fir beetles to prevent overcrowding and optimize brood survival in individual trees or logs. It gives a “no vacancy” signal to other beetles in the area, causing them to avoid an already fully colonized tree.

Commercially available MCH is a tool that can be used to protect trees and stands from Douglas-fir beetle-caused mortality. MCH can also be used to reduce beetle colonization of windthrown trees and therefore prevent population buildup and subsequent tree mortality.  

MCH has been synthetically produced and formulated in two different, currently registered, releasing devises: 

• plastic bubble capsules that are stapled to individual trees 
• tiny polymer flakes that are aerially applied 

MCH has successfully provided short term protection of trees in campgrounds, administrative sites, and high value stands. However, this temporary approach should only be applied until stand conditions are changed to be less susceptible to Douglas-fir beetles or until beetle populations subside. To be most effective, MCH should be applied before beetles fly in the spring.