Climate change allowing invasive beetles to spread north up US East Coast

New York Times : The southern pine beetle, which is native to the southeastern US, has already caused more than a billion dollars in damage to the timber industry. And as winters continue to get milder because of climate change, the beetle has begun expanding its range. As early as 2002 the beetle had moved up the coast as far as New Jersey, where it has destroyed more than 30 000 acres of forest. By last year the beetle had moved on to Long Island, Cape Cod, and Martha’s Vineyard. The invasive species kills pine trees by riddling the bark with tunnels, laying eggs, and spreading a damaging fungus. To fight the invasion, the forestry service has been cutting infested trees and thinning unaffected sections of forestland. Besides the southern pine beetle, the warming climate is also enabling the northward spread of other pests, such as ticks and mosquitoes, which can carry Lyme disease and dengue fever, respectively.