The Unseen Arboretum (Amazing Images)

Recently the FLIR corporation was kind enough to lend us one of their thermal imagers in order to determine if they could detect the level infestation of a new and dangerous pest here, the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer. The images produced by the machine, a FLIR T440, are amazing. At night the trees seem to glow (even though the temperature differences are small, the coloration that is done by the FLIR camera highlights them dramatically).  Initial analysis of the images seem show a correlation between the images and infestation levels of the pest. 

A FLIR T440 image of shot hole borer infested oak trees -the differing colors on the trunks are due to temperature differences. 

The spots on this oaks' trunk may be due to shot hole borer activity. 

At night the trees at the Arboretum glow in the eyes of the FLIR T440 thermal camera. 

The bright yellow color indicates hotter areas then those areas showing orange or purple. 

A liquidambar tree in the Meadowbrook section as seen through the eyes of the imager.  

Trees on Tallac knoll as seen through the FLIR T440.