Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana)
Last Review/Updated: May 15, 2007
The following information summarizes the annual pest conditions for each year. For more detailed information, click here to download the annual reports.
If there is any discrepancy between the forest health information on this website and the original paper versions, the paper originals are considered to be the authoritative ones. Although every effort is made to ensure that all information posted on the forest health website is accurate and complete, its integrity is not guaranteed. This information is provided for personal use only and is not intended for commercial use. Written permission to publish this information must be requested from the Manager of Forest Health at (780) 427-8474; Fax (780) 427-0084, or Fh.Info@gov.ab.ca.
| Year | Description | Click Map to Enlarge |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 |  |
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| 2006 | The risk of new spruce budworm infestations occurring in most parts of the province decreased in 2006. However, the risk of new spruce budworm infestations occurring remained high in the Waterways Corporate Area and at a few locations in the Upper Hay Corporate Area. Although there was a moderate to high risk of two-year cycle budworm infestations occurring in southwest Alberta in 2006, this may not materialize because budworm populations have collapsed in western Alberta and in northeast British Columbia. The western spruce budworm infestation on Douglas fir in the Porcupine Hills area in southern Alberta is expected to continue in 2006. |  |
| 2005 | The total area defoliated by the spruce budworm in forested Crown land surveyed by the SRD declined by 55% in 2005, compared to the area defoliated in 2004. Intensity of defoliation also declined. The total area defoliated in 2005 was 13 889 hectares, compared to 30 651 hectares defoliated in 2004. Wood Buffalo National Park, monitored by the Canadian Forest Service, still had considerable areas with budworm defoliation. Severe spruce budworm defoliation was also reported from Fort McMurray in the Municipality of Wood Buffalo. In Porcupine Hills located in southern Alberta, several Douglas fir stands were defoliated by the western spruce budworm. This is the first recorded defoliation by this pest in the recent past in Alberta. |  |
| 2004 | In 2004, Spruce budworm populations collapsed in Northwest Region and in the southern section of the NE Region. Compared to 2003, the total budworm-defoliated area declined by nearly 50% in 2004; the reduction in the severely defoliated area was dramatic with a nearly 85% drop from 2003. The moderately defoliated area remained about the same. Spruce budworm was still active in the Waterways Area where pheromone trap catches predicted high risk of new infestations. Two-year cycle budworm catches also picked up in 2004 indicating a high risk of new infestations in 2006. |  |
| 2003 | In 2003, spruce budworm defoliation was confined to the Northwest and Northeast corporate regions in Alberta. The net area of spruce budworm defoliation in the inventoried forested land of the province was estimated at 124 815 ha. In addition, spruce budworm defoliation was scattered over 33 443 ha of forested land that has not been inventoried. An ongoing spruce budworm infestation has been defoliating spruce stands in Wood Buffalo National Park in northeastern Alberta. In 2003, this infestation was surveyed from the air (Roger Brett, Northern Forestry Centre, Canadian Forest Service and Christina Kaeser, Wood Buffalo National Park) The defoliation was found scattered over an estimated gross area of 422 837 ha mostly along the Peace and Slave rivers. Most of this defoliation was of moderate intensity. |  |
| 2002 | In 2002, the spruce budworm-defoliated area was confined to northern Alberta. In this area, the extent and severity of defoliation in the currently infested forest stands increased during the year. There are currently no budworm-defoliated forest stands in southern Alberta. |  |
| 2001 | The spruce budworm defoliated an estimated 115 572 hectares of forest stands in northern Alberta. Most (77%) of this defoliation was severe, i.e., over 70% defoliation. |  |
| 2000 | The spruce budworm defoliated area in the forested Crown land was estimated at over 116 000 hectares, nearly a 40% drop in the defoliated area, compared to 1999. In 2000, the risk increased of a two-year cycle budworm outbreak in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. The risk of spruce budworm outbreaks remained low except in the northern boreal forests where the current outbreaks are found. |  |
| 1999 | The spruce budworm defoliated area in the province increased to reach over 190 000 hectares in 1999; severity of spruce budworm defoliation increased as well. This outbreak was confined to the northern boreal forests. |  |
| 1998 | In 1998, spruce budworm defoliation increased in many areas in the northern boreal forests. Spruce budworm populations reached record levels (as high as 140 budworms per 45 cm branch tip) in the northwestern part of the province. The severity of defoliation was likely exacerbated by the weather conditions favourable to the spruce budworm-relatively mild winter, dry spring and a dry, warm summer- experienced in 1998. |  |
| 1997 | The spruce budworm defoliation in the province reached its lowest level in 10 years. No budworm defoliation was seen in most of the areas sprayed to date although there was some increase in budworm defoliation in unsprayed areas. The budworm defoliation in Wood Buffalo National Park increased substantially during 1997. |  |
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