A number of years ago, the State of Alaska was heavily infested by the Spruce Bark Beetle. This small beetle devastated the majority of our "old" growth White and Sitka Spruce. Vivid reminders of this infestation is still visible on the Kenai Peninsula. Although the epidemic is now over, it will take many years for our forests to regenerate.
This past summer, did you notice an increase in the number of Lady Bugs flitting among the flora and fauna? A closer examination of the cute little Lady Bugs reveal that they are impostors, although they do look very similar. These little impostors have just started showing up in Alaska, but already they have made the presence known in our forests. There are several reasons for their migration north to Alaska. Two of the major factors being our open door policy on the southern border of the United States and Global Warming. What you thought you were watching, buzzing around your plants and trees, was not the traditional Lady Bug but the Mexican Bean Beetle. Below is the various stages of this little pest. The eggs, the larvae which turns "yellow" in two stages prior to transforming into a beetle resembling the Lady Bug. It is during the larvae stage that these beetles are the most devastating. They feed heavily on the foliage of our Spruce Trees during this stage, eventually killing them. During this stage, they are protected from detection as the tree will also turn yellow to protect their presence. 
Unfortunately, several trees on my property have been infested and I expect them to drop their existing needles within days. Below is a picture of three trees on my property only a few feet apart, two of them have been affected while the third is yet to show any sign of infestation. The two infected trees did not show any sign of infestation until about a week to ten days ago.
"THE THREE AMIGOS"
"Ruger", "Dutch", and "Goldie"
