05/11/2020
HEMLOCK HELP!!!!
For more than half a century, the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) has been crawling its way through the Appalachian Mountains and beyond. This tiny insect sucks the sap from hemlock twigs, causing crown dieback and eventual death. Today, this invasive pest covers about half of the range of eastern hemlock from Georgia to New England, and it isn’t stopping. The ability to clone itself thousands of times results in the decimation of large stands of hemlock.
This insect arrived in our area of Putnam and Cumberland counties several years ago multiplying and beginning the damage. Our hemlock will be dead or dying within the next few years. Infestation is beginning to show with declining trees in some areas.
There is research under way to introduce predator beetles and other insects that eat adelgids, but that is a long term solution that will take much longer than we have. The obvious sign of infestation are small fluffy white egg sacks on limbs with needles. Trees begin to lose needles over the next few years with eventual death.
We still have healthy trees worthy of treating against the insects. This is the only way to retain hemlocks in your landscape at this time. Treatment consists of an insecticide applied around the trunk on the ground and is effective for five years.
Treatment Season runs October through May. If interested in getting further information on costs and scheduling treatment please contact:
Bob Lee
Meadow Creek Woods
[email protected]
(931) 265-7318
