Potter, K.M. 2012. Large-scale patterns of insect and disease activity in the conterminous United States and Alaska from the national insect and disease detection survey database, 2007 and 2008. Chapter 4 in K.M. Potter and B.L. Conkling, eds., Forest Health Monitoring 2009 National Technical Report. General Technical Report SRS-167. Asheville, North Carolina: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. pp. 63-78.Monitoring the occurrence of forest pest and

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... n outbreaks is important at regional scales because of the significant impact insects and disease can have on forest health across landscapes. Hot spot analysis of FHP low-altitude survey data from 2007 and 2008 detected significant clusters of forest mortality associated with mountain pine beetle in the West, including northern Colorado and southern Wyoming, western Montana, and northern Washington. Forest winter moth, gypsy moth and Diplodia canker were responsible for a mortality hot spot in New England. The most extensive hot spot of defoliation in both years occurred in the Northeast, and was associated with forest tent caterpillar and gypsy moth. Spruce beetle and northern spruce engraver beetle were the most significant cause of mortality in Alaska, while aspen leafminer was the most important defoliation agent there.