Help us find the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid!
The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is an exotic pest from Asia first found in the U.S. in 1951 near Richmond, Va. Sadly, it has found its way into the Cayuga basin. According to a USDA pest alert, this pest threatens the health and sustainability of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) in our area, and the Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana) further south.
If you spot any in our neck of the woods, please contact Mark Whitmore at the Natural Resources Department at Cornell: mcw42@cornell.edu. Also, visit the information page at Cornell Plantations. From there you can also find a place to report sightings on-line. More difficult, but equally important, if you believe a significant hemlock stand is free of the insect, please report that also.
The photo at right is close to actual size of what you might see on a early infestation. A hand lens may be helpful since the white dots are about half the size of the head of a pin. If you have binoculars capable of focussing very close (6-8 feet) they might be helpful in examining the lower branches of large trees. Below is a close-up photo of a heavily infested tree taken in our area.
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