Hemlock+Wooly+Adelgid

(Figure 1) ** Taxonomy: ** Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda  Class: Insecta   Order: Hemiptera   Superfamily: Phylloxeroidea   Family: Adelgidae   Genus: //Adelges//   Species: //**A. tsugae**// ** Description: ** The Hemlock woolly Adelgid or HWA is an Insect in the order hemiptera. This species is native to Asia, in particular the island of Japan. This insect is considered an invasive species in the United States. The first appearances of the HWA were seen in Western North America in 1924. By 1951 the HWA had reached the eastern seaboard when sightings began to pop up around Richmond Virginia.([|1]) The HWA isn't considered a pest in it's native lands because of other abundant food sources. Also, the evergreen trees of the area evolved alongside the HWA to develop a resistance to their feeding habits. The rostrum is the defining characteristic of any hemipteran. The HWA uses it's rostrum to cut through the phloem layers of the tree to feed off it's nutrients. Many young HWA are sessile meaning they will stay on a particular tree until they are mature enough to branch out.Though the HWA may not seem overly intimidating, it has killed millions of hemlock trees across the country. The east coast has been especially hard hit and the pest continues to spread. Right now, the HWA is he only invasive insect specie to inhabit Vermont. Infested Hemlocks are easy to spot with small tufts of what look like cotton scattered beneath it's branches. Infested Hemlocks are noticeably sick when they begin to form a grayish blue hue, a far cry from the deep forest green they usually possess. Once a Hemlock is infested it usually in the range of four to ten years to completely die off. (Figure 2) The life cycle of the HWA is one that relies heavily on the abundance of Hemlock, as well as spruce trees. The eggs are laid in batches of 50 to 175 at a time. The presence of these eggs is evident by the small cotton like balls that are produced by the adult HWA throughout the year.. As winter approaches the eggs hatch and the nymphs remain dormant on the branches of the hemlock. They will stay and feed for several months until they reach adulthood in the very beginning of summer. The summer months mark prosperity and danger for the HWA as egg laying resumes along with the introduction of their predators. As the life cycle begins to repeat, something quite peculiar happens. The parthenogenetic attributes of the HWA begin deviate some from another. Often times, winged offspring will be reared and these offspring migrate to spruce trees to try and begin a new colony on spruce. However, these progeny are not successful and die off easily. Even with the high number of deaths for each "sexupura" or migrating adelgids, the numbers continue to grow with the overlapping of different generations. ([|2]) (Figure 3) ** Studies at UVM: ** Scott Costa is an entomologist here at the University of Vermont. As a member of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences he has recognized the large threat that the HWA presents to our forests. It has been previously established that only extremely cold conditions can kill the HWA. In 2011 Costa began implementing new techniques that reduced the growth rate of the pest by 50%. Costa devised the use of an insect killing fungus, // lecanicillium muscarium, //to help stop the spread of these extremely dangerous insects. The fungus is dropped by helicopter over an effected area, although Costa has plans to unveil a new ground treatment in the near future.([|3]) This is a major advancement in stopping the growth and spread HWA.The loss of hemlock trees spells disaster for Vermont where the Hemlock is the third most prevalent tree. Though Hemlocks aren't the most abundant, they play a large ecological role in the environment. Hemlocks often line riverbanks and the shores of lakes and rivers. They also provide shelter from snow for many deer and other animals during the winter months. without these canopies it puts a large amount of stress on the animals for survival. Deer and birds also have themselves to blame because they are major vectors by which the organism is spread throughout a forest community. ([|4]) (Figure 4) ** Impact on Vermont: ** The first sightings of the HWA on native trees in Vermont occurred in 2007. since its introduction, the HWA has been spread across 2 counties and several townships in southern Vermont. Bennington along with Windham county are the two most affected counties in the state. The Town of Rockingham is most recently affected by the invasive pest with it's first sighting appearing this year. Many other town recently discovered in 2012 that they had been introduced to the pest as well. Clearly this is a trend that is showing fast and rapid growth within the state and preventative measures need to be taken more seriously. The Vermont division of Forestry has released some guidelines to the public to ensure that they aren't aiding in the spread. Small measures like keeping bird feeders inside between April and August is an effective way to cut down on transmission opportunities. Also, Vermonters are encouraged to be aware of their property and the trees that are on their property. Early treatment is the best way to eradicate this pest so keeping a close eye on your hemlock trees is key. If everyone does their part, we can stand a chance against the HWA which threatens to erase nearly all hemlocks in the northeast within the next 10 years. ([|5]) (Figure 5) HWA destroyed hemlocks ** Image references: ** Fig 1- "Hemlock Woolly Adelgid." University of Massachusetts Amherst. N.p., 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. . Fig 2- "Pest Alert - Hemlock Woolly Adelgid." USDA. USDA Forest Association, Aug. 2005. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. . Fig 3- "Biology of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid." North Carolina Cooperative Extension Biology of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. . Fig 4- "Hwaupdate.cfm." Hwaupdate.cfm. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. . Fig 5- http://www3.amherst.edu/~ccsp01/website%20photos/Harvard%20HWA/aerial%20view%20dead%20hemlock%202.jpg  ** Information References **   1) US Forest Service. "Northeastern Area." Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Forest Health Protection, USDA Forest Service. N.p., 27 June 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. .   2) McClure, Mark S. "Evidence of a Polymorphic Life Cycle in the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid." Annals of the Entomological Society of America 82.1 (1989): 50-54.Ingentaconnect. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. . 3) Brown, Joshua E. "University of Vermont." UVM. UVM, 5 May 2011. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. .    4) McClure, Mark S. "Role of Wind, Birds, Deer, and Humans in the Dispersal of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid." Environment Entomology 19.1 (1990): 36-43. Ingentaconnect. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.     5) "Hwaupdate.cfm." Hwaupdate.cfm. Vermont Parks and Forest Service, Apr. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. .
 * Hemlock Woolly Adelgid ** [[image:hemlock_woody_adelgid5.jpg width="360" height="255"]]
 * Life Cycle: **