Munching on Trees

Hungry, hungry caterpillars are taking a toll on the famed aspen in the Santa Fe National Forest, but forest officials say the trees are likely to rebound.

The US Forest Service plans to begin aerial surveys next week to determine the extent of defoliation that's caused some alarm among visitors.

"Although the aspens may appear to be dying, the bare branches can be blamed on hungry western tent caterpillars that are stuffing themselves on one of their favorite foods," reads a press release issued Monday.

This species of caterpillar is known for the "tent" it builds on branches and twigs to protect larvae during molting. Larvae then typically stay on the tree, feeding on leaves until they form cocoons for their transformation into moths.

Officials say the the affected aspens will probably put out new shoots over the summer that might turn the standard, stunning gold fall color in our mountains to something that's "a drabber shade of yellow."

Last year, the Western tent caterpillars damaged about 8,000 acres of aspen on the Santa Fe National Forest in 2014. The big change is that this year the affected stands are closer to popular recreation areas and are getting more attention from visitors.

Forest Entomologist Andrew Graves is optimistic about the circumstance.

"Although the defoliation can at first glance appear quite dramatic and devastating, most of the trees will recover quickly and likely refoliate before late summer visitors arrive to enjoy the forest," he says.

Santa Fe Reporter