Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Asian Longhorned Beetle Emerald Ash Borer CATCH the WAVE! Our Imminent Invasive Threats

What is the Risk? Less than 1% of all US species are aliens ~2,000 arthropods have been introduced to the US, 95% accidentally Estimated environmental losses from alien species: $2.14 billion Alien pest insects & mites are responsible for $15.9 billion in crop loss annually. Annual losses of forest products from 360 alien insects & mites is ~$2.1 billion

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid What Is It? Order Homoptera Aphids, scales, cicadas Tiny (1/8 th in.), soft-bodied, covered with whitish wool Sucks sap with stylet From Asia to VA in 1950s Eastern spruce gall adelgid Hemlock woolly adelgid

What Does It Do? Feeds at base of needles Causes premature needle drop Prevents development of new bud

What Happens? Mature trees can be killed in 4 years! Feeds on Eastern and Carolina hemlock

Where IS It?

Who Cares? Reduced lumber revenues Diminished habitat for deer stands Reduced bird and trout populations Altered plant species composition Increased invasive exotic plants

What to Look For? White woolly mass on underside of needlesWhite woolly mass on underside of needles Off-color needles Premature needle drop

Hope For The Future? Cold temperatures Exotic predators Insect-killing fungi

Insect Killing Fungi?

What is happening in VT? Surveys: 60 sites in 15 Windham Co. towns in 2008, more in 2009 Volunteers trained to survey in Bennington & Windham Quarantines restricting hemlock coming to VT from infested counties (and within VT) Eradication where possible with tree removal and chemical treatment Investigating biocontrol options

Native of the Far East Probably entered US in early 1990s Discovered in Brooklyn in 1996 Eradication initiated…. Found: Chicago in 1998, eradicated 2006??? Found: New Jersey in 2004 Found in Toronto, CA in 2004 Found in Worcester, MA in 2008, larger area than all other infested sites combined! New infested areas found nearby.

It KILLS trees Attacks over 50 tree species Economic threat to several forest industries Impacts to urban, suburban and rural trees, 61% of our city trees are at risk Would significantly disrupt wildlife habitat

Eradication: all beetles killed; all infested trees destroyed Quarantine: around all infested areas Public awareness nationwide Increased port inspections and shipping regulations Research: Survey, and biological & chemical control

All trees with signs of ALB are cut down, chipped, and the chips are burned. In some cases, non-infested susceptible host trees are also removed. How many trees have been destroyed to eradicate since 1996? Worcester: 22,000 and counting In and around NYC: 7,000 Around Chicago: Over 1,500 New Jersey: 23,000 Toronto, CA: 20,000

Broad range of host tree species Hidden within tree for many months Broadly scattered dispersal Great chance for accidental spread It remains to be seen.

Survey and Detection: Sonar, pheromones, sentinel trees Chemical Control: Systemic insecticides Biological Control: Parasites and Fungi

Whitespotted Sawyer: feeds on dead & dying conifers Asian Longhorned Beetle: feeds on live hardwoods Female Male

Exit holes Egg sites Sap oozing Sawdust Leaf feeding

Moderately Preferred Willows Poplars Birches Alders Rarely Attacked Mimosa White ash London plane Green ash Rose of Sharon Black locust Highly Preferred Boxelder Red maple Sugar maple Horsechestnut Norway maple Sycamore maple Silver maple American elm

Emerald Ash Borer Metallic green, arrowhead shaped beetle, ½ inch long Believed it came from Asia Bores into ash trees, makes feeding galleries under the bark Over 50 million ash trees have been killed, it’s 100% fatal

Where is it? First found in Michigan in 2002 Now found in: Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Minnesota, and in Ontario and Quebec

What to look for? Crown dieback Excessive sprouting D-shaped exit holes Woodpecker feeding S-shaped galleries under the bark

Biology Adults active from May – July Most active on warm sunny days Females lay eggs singly in bark crevices Larvae hatch and create S- shaped tunnels just under the bark

What can be done? Don’t plant ash trees along streets Systemic insecticide treatment in high value areas Don’t move fire wood Look for signs of infestation