Forest pests hit trees hard as temperatures rise

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT 30 April 2026 Damage by certain insects and fungi tends to be greatest in US woodlands where maximum temperatures during the warmest months are increasing. Some woodlands in the United States have incurred extra pest damage because of climate change. Credit: Jack Dykinga/Nature Picture Library Decades of data on US forests suggest that climate change has exacerbated the damage caused by insects and disease, leading to the death and injury of more trees than might have otherwise occurred1. Access options Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription $32.99 / 30 days cancel any time Subscribe to this journal Receive 51 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only $3.90 per issue Rent or buy this article Prices vary by article type from$1.95 to$39.95 Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Additional access options: Log in Learn about institutional subscriptions Read our FAQs Contact customer support doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-01288-z Subjects Latest on: Forestry Predicting the fate of tropical forests under intensifying heat News & Views 14 JAN 26 Carbon implications of wood harvesting and forest management Matters Arising 29 OCT 25 Brazil’s COP30 legacy should be to