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Efforts to Control the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on James E. Bickford State Nature Preserve
On November 17th, several entomologists from the University of Kentucky, the state entomologist's office, and the UK Cooperative Extension Service came to Pine Mountain to treat several hemlocks infected with the hemlock woolly adelgid on the School's James E. Bickford State Nature Preserve.
The hemlock woolly adelgid is an exotic insect that feeds on the sap of hemlocks. By depleting the sap, the insects deplete a tree's starch reserves, reducing its ability to grow and produce new shoots. Tree death is slow, occurring in two to twelve years. Dying trees drop needles, show branch and tip dieback, and foliage thins. Lower branches die back before the tree itself dies.
The hemlock woolly adelgid was found on the preserve in June by Harlan County UK Extension Service agent Jeremy Williams. During the summer, Pine Mountain environmental education staff took an inventory of affected trees. An estimated 500 trees were found to be affected. The infestation appears to be confined to one area on the preserve.
In all, 176 trees were treated with a systemic insecticide around the perimeter of the tree. Each tree was tagged and numbered so that accurate records can be kept of the effectiveness of the treatment. The insecticide was provided by the U.S. Forest Service in conjunction with the state entomologist's office.
Thanks to John Obrycki, chair of the Department of Entomology at University of Kentucky and State Entomologist; Lynne Rieske-Kinney, associate professor of forest entomology at University of Kentucky; Lee Townsend, UK Cooperative Extension Service entomologist; Joe Collins, Janet Lensing, and Carl Hopper from the state entomologist's office; Joyce Bender and Kyle Napier of the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, and James Harwood, post-doctoral scholar, for helping out our hemlocks!
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