Scientists in BC have decoded the genetic map of the Mountain Pine Beetle, which may help deal with the little pest.
The team from the University of British Columbia and the Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre say it is only the second beetle genome ever decoded.
Scientists found the pine beetle has genes helping it defeat a tree's natural defenses, and to pull nutrients from the tree as well.
They also found the Pine Beetle seperated from another species of beetle about 230 million years ago.
The Mountain Pine Beetle has infested over 28 million hectares of lodgepole pine in BC.
It has now migrated over the Rockies to threaten the Northern boreal forests in Alberta, and is also headed for Saskatchewan.
The hope is the genetic breakthrough can trigger new ways to deal with the pest in the future.