Sunny, mid 80s but not as humid, light breeze
As I hiked around Brooks Lake Park this morning, I could not help but notice the number of dead hemlocks lying on the ground a short distance after entering the trail. It is indeed difficult to find a live hemlock standing in this forest.
The problem is the result of the Hemlock woolly adelgid, an insect pest that was introduced from Japan in 1951. It has been a major problem in many forests throughout the northeastern United States and the infestation is thought to cover about half of the hemlocks eastern range. These insects cause damage by sucking sap from the hemlocks using piercing mouthparts which inject a poison into the needles as they feed. The infested trees drop their needles prematurely, become weakened and eventually many will die. The hemlocks you see lying on the ground in these images were victims of the hemlock woolly adelgid.
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| Wooly adelgid (photo from NPS) |
At present, there is no long term solution to the infestation of the adelgid. The National Park Service has been trying some short-term “life support” treatments in some of the National Forests, but as of now, there is no permanent cure. If no solution is found, the hemlock may well end up as rare as some other majestic trees that have all but disappeared from our forests, the American elm and the American chestnut.
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| Former thriving hemlock stand at Brooks Lake Park |
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