Hemlock Wooly Adelgid
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid - Adelges tsugae
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid
Photograph credit: Chris Evans,
The University of Georgia,
www.forestryimages.org/
The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is native to parts of Asia and was first discovered in New York in 1985. It is in the family Adelgidae, which is related to aphids. The Adelgid uses long mouthparts to extract sap and nutrients from hemlock foliage, this prevents free growth, causing needles to discolor from deep green to grayish green, and to drop prematurely. The loss of new shoots and needles seriously impairs tree health. Infestation is usually fatal to the host after several years. Valued plantings of the shade-loving Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) can be ravaged by the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, and the natural stands of hemlock in the forests and parks in upstate New York would be greatly affected if the pest spreads to those locations. The wind, birds, other wildlife and the movement of infested host material by humans are all factors in the dispersion of the adelgid. Currently 20 NY counties are infested with the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid.
More about Hemlock Wooly Adelgid:
- Hemlock Wooly Adelgid Photograph - A Close-up Photo of Hemlock Wooly Adelgid
