Fresh wave of insects attack Idaho forest

After years of being ravaged by aggressive beetles, forest officials are now reporting signs of a new insect infiltration just south of Stanley.

The new invasion is just another blow to efforts to help recover the ecosystem of southern Idaho’s forests, said Jim Rineholt, forester with the U.S. Forest Service.

The Sawtooth National Recreational Area is currently experiencing a spruce budworm outbreak first spotted in 2004. The insect is known for defoliating Douglas-fir, spruce and many other tree species. Once stripped of their foliage, trees are at a greater risk of reduced growth, dead tops and mortality.