Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA)

[Alicia Rose]

Narrative and Recorded Video Link
Eastern hemlock is a valued component of New England’s forest, annually adding about $100 million to the economy in New York and New England. Thirty-seven percent of eastern hemlock is found in New England. Hemlock contributes significantly to the biodiversity of the Northern Forest, playing a key role in erosion control along streams, and providing food, shelter, and shade for a wide variety of wildlife and fish. Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is an exotic invasive insect pest that is ravaging hemlock forests along most of the eastern seaboard and continues to expand its distribution, threatening the entire range of eastern hemlock. In 2008, a significant natural decline in HWA populations in New Hampshire was observed by state foresters. HWA in these areas showed signs of infection, from which fungi were isolated. Through morphological and molecular analyses, NSRC researchers confirmed that the fungus was Myriangium sp., an entomopathogen of scale insects they had found in past field studies. This project investigated the dynamics of this fungal-induced widespread disease of HWA, suggesting ways to exploit this natural agent for sustained HWA management in the Northern Forest.
Principal Investigators: Margaret Skinner, Bruce L. Parker, Svetlana Gouli
https://vimeo.com/channels/276869