COLUMBUS, OH - A hemlock tree infestation in Ohio has led state agriculture officials to cut and burn infested trees.
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, an aphidâlike insect native to Asia, was first seen in the U.S. in 1951. The infestation has since spread to 18 states, from Maine to Georgia, covering about half the range of the tree species. The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid threatens eastern hemlock and Carolina hemlock in the eastern United States.
The Maine Forest Service issue an alert that the hemlock-killing aphid had spread. As of last month the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid was known to be established in five counties: Cumberland, Lincoln, Sagadahoc and York. It is working with the U.S. FOrst Service to track the aphid in Maine's Waldo, Hancock and Washington Counties.
When the Adelgid was discovered in Ohio last month, just five trees were infected. The state is moving quickly to prevent its spread. The effort to combat the hemlock aphid, which attacks the base of the needles at the tips of branches, now involves 24 universities, seven
institutions in China and Japan, 20 state agencies, four federal agencies and nine private
organizations.
Systemic insecticides developed snce the first appearance of the aphids are applied to protect tens of thousands of hemlocks annually.
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