The College of Southern Idaho is waging a war, against tiny insects.

CSI Public Relations Director Doug Maughan said, "We had a pretty mild winter, and now the people who work with our trees and lawns around here are thinking this could be another 'buggy' year."

Ash, Locust, and Birch trees are most likely to fall prey…victims of insects like Emerald Lilac Borers, Aphids, and Spruce Mites. CSI officials say, they'll do all they can to take care of the problems.

Maughan said, “Our grounds crews are going around right now, they are applying dormant oil, pesticides to some extent."

But usually, the bugs win the war.

Maughan says, "Unfortunately, once the bugs are in the tree, you're just going to watch it probably die a slow death, no matter what you do."

Another thing officials have to consider is the age of the affected trees. They say, it doesn't do much good to save a tree that's already at the end of a life span.

The college's best strategy is prevention, such as planting bug-resistant trees.
Maughan said, "Canada Red Choke Cherry, for instance, is one of the more resistant trees, and there are some other trees that we're trying to plant to avoid those problems in the future."

And despite the odds, officials aren't giving up without a struggle, saying, they’re doing the best they can to fight off insects.