http://discovermagazine.com/2012/jul-aug/06-pheromone-save-pine-forests-oblivion
In a recent discovery within America's Yellowstone National Park and ski runs of Aspen, Colorado, swarms of Bark Beetles have been noted, and found once again, as one of the most loathed forms of devastation among the forests of pine trees that engulf the northwestern landscape. Their population has been tracked for centuries, until very recently when studies have shown that the Bark Beetle population is teeming on a much larger scale then ever before. Just as the situation seems to become increasingly bleak, scientists have developed a pheromone called "Verbenone", a potent offensive agent that manipulates the beetle's sense of smell on a molecular level. Verbenone will be applied in the forested regions of the United States and Canada where pines and evergreens dominate the landscape the most; an interesting yet objective question remains, however: Is the pheromone as environmentally potent as it is potent? Only time will tell if we will recreate the next DDT scare of the 1950's.
I don't agree of using a chemical to kill off an insect on a large scale before they know how it will affect the rest of the environment. So trying to kill off one insect could result in killing off other species of insects or trees and plant life. So i believe that scientist should test the chemical first before they use it on a massive scale.
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