In this photo are Rotarian Forrest Barnes with his guest speaker Dave Struble, entomologist with the Maine Forest Service. Dave spoke to the Houlton Rotary Club on October 19th about the recent outbreak of spruce budworm, a local insect that lives on the needles of spruce and fir and has a forty year cycle. The last infestation was in the mid seventies and in 2012 a new cycle began in the province of Quebec, Canada. The Canadians are able to spray with bacillus thuringiensis but that is too expensive and requires State authorization in Maine to use. The industry and the University system of Maine has been looking at other solutions such as trapping the moths with the use of pheromones. The Maine Forest Service is also advising selective cutting of the trees that are in danger. The Maine Forest Service has a great website for references and charts and graphs and maps. Dave suggested that this outbreak should not be as threatening as the past event since the trees are growing at a smaller rate and forests are not as contiguous in the State. Accompanying Dave at the meeting was local forester Dan Jacobs.