Mitchell Saunders
Mrs. Whitmire
AP Environmental Science 4th Period
11 October 2014
The Woolly Adelgid: A Forest Nuisance The woolly adelgid, or hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelgis tsugae), is a species of small insect native to Japan that infests eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana) trees in the Eastern United States. The insect was first discovered in the United States in Richmond, Virginia around 1954. The infected trees were part of a park located on the estate of an avid plant collector; it is speculated the insects were part of an infected shipment of ornamental plants from southern Japan (Souto, 1995). The insect spreads when their sticky egg sacs attach to animals, and these animals then proceed to carry and spread the egg sacs. Human shipments of infected hemlock trees also contribute to the spread of the woolly adelgid. Infested forests have been found from Maine all the way down to …show more content…
It damages trees by sucking nutrients out of the plant using its long stylus, leaving behind a saliva that hardens and blocks the movement of nutrients. This causes the tree’s needles to rapidly wither and die . This is a very pressing problem because the hemlock tree provides a habitat for many different species in eastern forests. Their canopy provides shade for species like turkey, deer, and hares, is an important roosting site for many birds, and regulates water temperatures by keeping streams cool enough for brook trout to inhabit them. The destruction of hemlock forests by the woolly adelgid is would have a major impact on the level of biodiversity in the ecosystem by eliminating a habitat for many species altogether. The insects are also difficult to contain because of their wide range of tolerance; they can survive a very range of temperatures from -35 degrees Celsius in the winter to 40 degrees Celcius in the summer
Mrs. Whitmire
AP Environmental Science 4th Period
11 October 2014
The Woolly Adelgid: A Forest Nuisance The woolly adelgid, or hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelgis tsugae), is a species of small insect native to Japan that infests eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana) trees in the Eastern United States. The insect was first discovered in the United States in Richmond, Virginia around 1954. The infected trees were part of a park located on the estate of an avid plant collector; it is speculated the insects were part of an infected shipment of ornamental plants from southern Japan (Souto, 1995). The insect spreads when their sticky egg sacs attach to animals, and these animals then proceed to carry and spread the egg sacs. Human shipments of infected hemlock trees also contribute to the spread of the woolly adelgid. Infested forests have been found from Maine all the way down to …show more content…
It damages trees by sucking nutrients out of the plant using its long stylus, leaving behind a saliva that hardens and blocks the movement of nutrients. This causes the tree’s needles to rapidly wither and die . This is a very pressing problem because the hemlock tree provides a habitat for many different species in eastern forests. Their canopy provides shade for species like turkey, deer, and hares, is an important roosting site for many birds, and regulates water temperatures by keeping streams cool enough for brook trout to inhabit them. The destruction of hemlock forests by the woolly adelgid is would have a major impact on the level of biodiversity in the ecosystem by eliminating a habitat for many species altogether. The insects are also difficult to contain because of their wide range of tolerance; they can survive a very range of temperatures from -35 degrees Celsius in the winter to 40 degrees Celcius in the summer