Prepared
by USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry in
cooperation
with State Forestry Agencies in the Northeastern Area"
INSECTS:
NATIVE
Bagworm
moth
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis
Region
9/Northeastern Area: West Virginia
Host(s): Black locust, boxelder, miscellaneous
conifers
In West Virginia, light to moderate populations
caused moderate defoliation to boxelder, black locust, and miscellaneous
conifers statewide.
Balsam
gall midge
Paradiplosis tumifex
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont
Host(s): Balsam fir
In Maine, population levels of this pest dropped
significantly in 2001, with a corresponding drop in the number of Christmas
tree growers reporting control projects in the spring. This pest had been very
abundant in the previous three years and many growers had to resort to the use
of pesticides to control this midge throughout that time period. High
populations were scattered throughout New Hampshire. In Vermont, damage remained high in Christmas tree plantations
and on wild balsam fir trees. The
infestation is lasting longer, with heavier damage, than previous infestations
and damage is expected to continue in some stands in 2002.
Balsam
shoot boring sawfly
Pleroneura brunneicornis
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Vermont
Host(s): Balsam and fraser fir
In Maine, damage resulting from this pest was very
light and populations were generally low on balsam and Fraser fir in commercial
Christmas tree farms. In Vermont,
damage was less common than in 2000, with only light damage detected.
Balsam
twig aphid
Mindarus abietinus
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Vermont
Host(s): Balsam fir
Light to moderate populations of this pest could be
found over much of Maine in 2001 with levels high enough to warrant treatment
on many Christmas tree farms. Populations appear to be increasing as indicated
by more widespread damage within forest stands across central and eastern
portions of the state. In Vermont,
populations increased dramatically with heavy damage to Christmas trees
statewide.
Cherry
lace bug
Corythucha pruni
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Pennsylvania
Host(s): Black cherry
Black cherry trees on approximately 2,000 acres in
Greene and Washington Counties, Pennsylvania, exhibited very noticeable
yellow-green discoloration from this insect late in the season.
Eastern
spruce budworm
Choristoneura fumiferana
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Michigan,
Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Wisconsin
Host(s): Balsam fir, white spruce, red spruce, black
spruce, hemlock
In Maine, where low level spruce budworm populations
continued in 2001, no larvae were found and no defoliation was detected.
However, spruce budworm moth catch in the statewide network of light traps was
the highest since 1989. In New Hampshire, no defoliation was detected and
pheromone trap catches were very low.
In New York, total trap catch for this insect in 2001 was 1833 insects
from 93 traps. Moderate defoliation was
reported in the northern portion of the state, but no acreage figures are
available. In Vermont, there was no noticeable defoliation and the number of
moths caught in pheromone traps decreased from 2000.
Northeast Minnesota sustained 18,889 acres
defoliated, down from 28,481 in 2000. This is the 48th consecutive
year of spruce budworm defoliation in MN.
Michigan reported 3,300 acres defoliated. Wisconsin reported only 800 acres defoliated.
Eastern
tent caterpillar
Malacosoma americanum
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Maryland,
New Jersey, Ohio, Vermont, West Virginia
Host(s): Black cherry, maple, beech, birch, and crab
apple
In Maryland, eastern tent caterpillar caused localized
defoliation statewide. Webbing or
tents in wild cherry and crabapple were especially numerous in Atlantic,
Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties,
New Jersey. In Ohio, cherry trees were
completely defoliated in portions of Adams, Athens, Fairfield, Hocking, Noble,
Pike, and Scioto Counties. Moderate to
severe defoliation observed over most of the State. Nucleopolyhedrosis virus reported in the southwestern and
northern panhandle counties.
In Maine, populations continued to rise in 2001, but
defoliation was again light. In
Vermont, light defoliation was common.
Fall
cankerworm
Alsophila pometaria
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, West Virginia
Host(s): Maples, oaks, other hardwoods
Fall cankerworms in suburban Washington, DC,
declined dramatically in Cheverly, University Park, and College Park. The communities of Greenbelt and Takoma Park
had nuisance levels of caterpillars with some spotty defoliation. Looper sticky bands were run in Monongalia
and Preston Counties with light, spotty populations observed in spotty areas
during gypsy moth suppression activities.
In Maine, populations and defoliation remained low
in 2001. Very little defoliation was documented in Massachusetts in the area of
Norfolk County. The results of sticky
trap surveys indicate that populations in this area have been reduced to
endemic levels. Noticeable defoliation
was observed on 422 acres on Nantucket Island and reports were received about a
very heavy moth flight in Plymouth County.
Fall
webworm
Hyphantria cunea
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Vermont, West Virginia
Host(s): Apple, ash, beech, birch, black cherry,
cherry, elm, other hardwoods
Fall webworm caterpillars continued to be less
numerous than in previous years throughout the State. This defoliator, which damaged over 30,000 acres of maple,
beech, and birch trees in 2000, caused damage on only 100 acres in Blair County
in 2001. In West Virginia, spotty and
light to moderate defoliation occurred statewide this year.
In Maine, populations remained high again in 2001
but seemed to be spottier. The tents and defoliation were more pronounced over
approximately 10,000 acres in Cumberland, York and southern Oxford counties and
locally elsewhere. Populations
increased significantly over 2000 in central and western Massachusetts. By mid August many trees were completely
defoliated and webbed. Populations were
non-existent throughout New Hampshire.
This insect was widely observed throughout Vermont, but populations were
down from 2000.
Forest
tent caterpillar
Malacosoma disstria
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio,
Vermont, Wisconsin
Host(s): Aspen, basswood, pin oak, white oak,
sweetgum, other hardwoods
Defoliation exploded in 2001 in the Lake
States. Defoliation occurred in
Minnesota on more than 7.4 million acres, up from 2.0 million in 2000. The population in the Upper Peninsula of
Michigan exceeded 2.4 million acres, up from 700,000 acres in 2000. Wisconsin sustained over 5.7 million of defoliation, up from
100,000 acres in 2000. Defoliation
occurred on white oak trees in Adams and Scioto Counties, Ohio.
In Maine, populations remained low with no
defoliation in 2001. In New Hampshire,
no defoliation was reported and no moths were trapped. In New York, this insect caused about 4500
acres of defoliation of sugar maple in Sullivan County. In Vermont, populations remain low with no
defoliation.
Hemlock
looper (fall flying)
Lambdina fiscellaria
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont
Host(s):
Eastern hemlock, balsam fir, white spruce
The heavy moth activity noted in the fall of 2000
produced significant larval populations and defoliation in many portions of
southern, central and eastern Maine in 2001. During late summer aerial survey
flights, 26,807 acres of heavy to severe hemlock looper defoliation were
mapped. In Massachusetts, moderate
feeding was observed in Hampden and Berkshire Counties. Approximately 500 acres were treated
aerially with Bt in one state owned campground. Pheromone traps placed in areas where defoliation was observed
indicated the population had collapsed.
No defoliation occurred in New Hampshire and no moths were trapped. In New York, large numbers of adult moths
were found in spruce budworm traps, however no significant defoliation of
hemlock was detected. Neither damage
nor significant larval populations occurred in Vermont, but moth flight was
heavy in the fall of 2000.
Jack
pine budworm
Chorisoneura pinus
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Michigan
Host(s):
Jack pine
In Michigan, over 118,000 acres were defoliated in
2,000, up significantly from 18,000 acres in 2000. There was no defoliation was reported in Wisconsin, compared
to18,129 acres in 2000.
Jumping
oak gall wasp
Neuroterus saltatorius
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Host(s):
Bur oak, white oak
Foliar damage from the jumping oak gall wasp (Neuroterus
saltatorius) virtually disappeared in MO in 2001, down from almost 600,000
acres in 2000. The gall also
disappeared in Indiana, down from an estimated 1,000,000 acres in 2000.
In Ohio, damage to white oak was documented for the
first time. Over 14,000 acres were
defoliated in 8 southeastern Ohio counties.
In Bradford and Tioga Counties, Pennsylvania, this insect damaged oak
foliage on approximately 400 acres.
Severely infested white oaks turned completely brown and lost foliage
prematurely by mid-summer from infestations in West Virginia. The outbreak situation occurred in 41
counties of West Virginia and may threaten the white oak resource; all but the
easternmost counties were affected.
This insect caused some mild damage to ornamental
white oaks in Broome County, New York.
This may represent the first report of jumping oak gall wasp in the
state.
Large
aspen tortrix
Choristoneura conflictana
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Michigan,
Minnesota, Vermont, Wisconsin
Host(s): Bigtooth aspen, aspen
No defoliation was reported in Maine in 2001. In Vermont, populations were back down to trace levels, following
the increase in 2000.
The large aspen tortrix defoliated over 31,000 acres,
up from 2,579 in 2000. No defoliation occurred in Minnesota in 2001, down from
63,942 acres in 2000.
Locust
leafminer
Odontota dorsalis
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, West Virginia
Host(s): Black locust
As usual, locust leafminer caused localized
defoliation of black locust throughout the State of Maryland. In West Virginia, moderate to heavy
defoliation and bronzing of foliage occurred in most eastern and northern
panhandle counties by mid-June.
In Maine, locust leafminer populations and resultant defoliation
remained moderate to extreme in 2001 and this pest has now moved throughout the
state where its favored host, black locust, may be found. Defoliation was observed
throughout Massachusetts. Most
noticeable were the black locust stands adjacent to the interstate
highways. Defoliation was heavy in the
central part of New Hampshire. In
Vermont there were isolated pockets of moderate and heavy damage in the
Champlain and Connecticut River valleys.
Maple
leafcutter
Paraclemensia acerifoliella
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont
Host(s): Sugar maple
In Maine, populations of this species remained low and spotty
and have moved little since 1999. An extremely
heavy infestation was observed in Massachusetts on about 200 acres in
Northwestern Franklin County. In New
Hampshire, approximately 735 acres of moderate defoliation occurred in Grafton
County. In Vermont populations remained
high. Heavy late-season defoliation
occurred in scattered locations statewide, especially in central Vermont.
Populations are expected to be lower in 2002, as many larvae died in the mining
stage.
Maple
trumpet skeletonizer
Epinotia aceriella
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Vermont
Host(s): Sugar maple
In Vermont, populations decreased from 2000, with
only light damage observed.
Oak
leaftier
Croesia semipurpurana
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, West
Virginia
Host(s): Black oak, northern red oak, scarlet oak
Surveys for oak leaftier eggs were conducted in
Barbour, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Randolph, and Tucker Counties in late winter,
but the few eggs found resulted in only light and spotty defoliation during the
spring.
Defoliation by this and a variety of other oak feeders
remained static in Maine in 2001, the same as 1999 and 2000 levels. Damage was
light to moderate but very spotty.
Orange-striped
oakworm
Anisota senatoria
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Connecticut,
Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island
Host(s): Black oak, red oak
Localized infestations occurred in Carroll and
Howard Counties in Maryland. This late
season defoliator affected over 3,100 acres of oaks in Cumberland County,
Pennsylvania.
Over 2,000 acres
were defoliated in Connecticut in Windham County. In New York, this insect defoliated oaks in areas of Suffolk County totaling about
2000 acres late in the growing season.
Many of the affected trees had already been defoliated earlier in the
year by gypsy moth. In
Rhode Island, 5,500 acres of oaks in the central part of the state were
defoliated.
Oystershell
scale
Lepidosaphes ulmi
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, Vermont
Host(s): Beech
In Maine, this locally aggressive and destructive pest seems
to remain chronic in beech stands across the state, with outbreaks occurring in
different areas and with differing degrees of severity. Populations decreased in northern Vermont, but increased in the
southern part of the state.
Peach
bark beetle
Phloetribus liminaris
Region
9/Northeastern Area: New York
Host(s): Black cherry
In New York, no reports of significant damage caused
by this insect were received in 2001.
However, this insect lowered grade and caused mortality to black cherry
in 2000, especially in western and southern parts of the state, and is believed
to persist at similar levels.
Scarlet
oak sawfly
Caliroa quercuscoccineae
Region
9/Northeastern Area: West Virginia
Host(s): Black oak, pin oak, red oak
In West Virginia, scarlet oak sawfly surveys were
conducted in Kanawha, Putnam, Mason, Wayne, Cabell, and Lewis Counties
periodically throughout the season.
Compared to the 18,400 acres defoliated in 2000, defoliation this year
was extremely light with little or no pest activity reported.
Spruce
beetle
Dendroctonus rufipennis
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine
Host(s): White and red spruce
The condition of many of Maine's coastal spruce
stands continued a gradual decline in 2001.
The most immediate cause of spruce stand deterioration continues to be
spruce beetle but only where trees have been predisposed by drought, poor site,
overmaturity, and other stressors such as wind damage
Striped
alder sawfly
Hemichroa crocea
Region
9/Northeatern Area: Vermont
Host(s): Birch, alder
This insect caused only slight defoliation in
Vermont.
Southern
pine beetle
Dendroctonus frontalis
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Delaware,
Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, West Virginia
Host(s): Austrian pine, loblolly pine, Scotch pine,
Virginia pine
No significant active southern pine beetle hot spots
were detected over the entire southern part of Delaware. Southern pine beetle populations continue to
remain low in southern Maryland. In
Ohio, southern pine beetle infestations occurred in Lawrence, Hocking, and Pike
Counties on planted loblolly, Scotch, and Austrian pines and in naturally
occurring Virginia pine. The first
confirmed occurrence of this beetle in New Jersey was reported from Belle Plain
State Forest, Cape May County. Ohio’s
infestation coincided with an outbreak in northern Kentucky probably a result
of a warm winter and the recent drought.
Southern pine beetle populations were monitored in 6 southern Ohio
Counties (Adams, Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, and Scioto) using Lindgren
funnel traps baited with frontalin and turpentine. In West Virginia, the southern pine beetle killed one or two
trees at scattered spots in 4 western counties in 2001. The last outbreak of southern pine beetle in
West Virginia occurred in 1993 and 1994.
Lindgren funnel traps with the standard lures for predicting population
trends were used in Greenbrier, Pleasants, Kanawha, Jackson, and Wayne
Counties. While several southern pine
beetle adults were trapped, clerid beetle counts were numerous enough to predict
a declining or static trend for 2002.
Sycamore
lace bug
Corythucha ciliata
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Pennsylvania
Host(s): Sycamore
Sycamore trees on approximately 500 acres in Greene
County, Pennsylvania, were very noticeably discolored from the feeding of this
insect.
Variable
oakleaf caterpillar
Heterocampa manteo
Region
9/Northeastern Area: New Jersey,
Pennsylvania
Host(s): Oaks
Complete defoliation of oak was observed on several
thousand acres in Ocean County, New Jersey.
The damage in 2001 was greater and extended over a larger area than in
2000. In Pennsylvania, 13,772 acres
were defoliated by variable oakleaf caterpillars in Potter and Tioga Counties.
White
pine weevil
Pissodes strobi
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont
Host(s): White pine
This perennial problem continued to seriously limit
the growth of white pine in Maine where no treatment was applied. Severe damage was readily noted in 2001.
Weevil damage continues to be an annual problem in New Hampshire. In Vermont, there was generally less damage
than normal.
Yellowheaded
spruce sawfly
Pikonema alaskensis
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine
Host(s): Black spruce, white spruce, spruces
In Maine, there were scattered reports of a slight resurgence
of yellowheaded spruce sawfly defoliation in 2001. The heaviest defoliation was
observed on ornamentals and individual open-grown roadside trees across much of
the state. Defoliation in plantations was generally light and no control
projects were undertaken.
INSECTS:
NON-NATIVE
Asian
longhorned beetle
Anoplophora glabripennis
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Illinois, New York
Host(s):
Elms, horse chestnut, maples, ash, birches, black locust, poplar, willow
Surveys with bucket trucks and tree climbers at
O’Hare Airport revealed no additional trees since 2000. Overall, a total of 1,527 trees have been
destroyed, only 5 in 2001.
This destructive insect was discovered in New York,
in Brooklyn and on Long Island, during the summer of 1996. Since then, other infestations were
discovered in Queens, Manhattan, Bayside, and Islip. A federal quarantine encompasses all known infested areas in New
York including all newly discovered infested areas. Many of the trees in these areas appear to have been infested for
several years. Hardwoods, especially
maples, are the preferred hosts of this insect. In an effort to eradicate the insect, surveys continue around the
perimeter of the known infestation to identify and remove newly infested trees. Tree planting continues to provide greenery
in neighborhoods as the infested trees are cut down and removed from the site.
No beetles were reported in the Mid-Atlantic States
of Maryland, New Jersey, and Ohio.
However, awareness projects focusing on recognition and reporting this
serious exotic pest of maples were developed in these States for professional
arborists likely to encounter this insect.
Balsam
woolly adelgid
Adelges piceae
Region
9/Northeastern Area: West Virginia,
Maine, Vermont, West Virginia
Host(s):
Balsam fir
This introduced species continues to kill and deform
fir in 26 balsam fir stands at high elevation sites in West Virginia.
Balsam woolly adelgid populations remain a chronic
problem on balsam fIr in many stands in southern and central Maine. In recent
years, the woolly trunk phase has reappeared as well as the gouty symptoms, and
seems to be causing more rapid mortality locally in a few forest stands. In Vermont, populations
remained noticeable on the stems of balsam fir in Essex and Caledonia Counties.
Birch
leafminer
Fenusa pusilla
Region
9/Northeastern Area: New Jersey
Host(s): Gray and white birch
In New Jersey, gray and white birch trees across the
State were observed turning brown in high numbers in 2001.
Browntail
moth
Euproctis chrysorrhoea
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine
Host(s): Red oak
In Maine, there is a continued reduction in the
total area infested, with about 6,000 acres affected. There are very limited numbers of overwintering webs being
located outside of the Casco Bay area in Hancock or York counties. However, it appears that the
trend for 2002 could be a continued rise in populations in the Casco Bay region
where control measures will likely be initiated over a much greater area than
in 2001.
Common
European pine shoot beetle
Tomicus piniperda
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Delaware,
Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin,
Host(s):
Scotch pine, white pine, pines
The pine shoot beetle is a pest of pine trees which
causes damage in weak and dying trees, and in the new growth of healthy
trees. The beetle has been found in a
variety of pine species in the United States.
The pine shoot beetle is a serious foreign pest of pines and was first
discovered in the United States in a Christmas tree farm in Ohio in 1992. In 2001, a total of 55 counties were
reported infested in Indiana, 71 in Michigan, 4 in Wisconsin, and 30 in
Illinois. Two new counties were added
in Illinois in 2001, Marshall and Tazewell; and 4 in Indiana, Brown, Hendricks,
Owen, and Fayette.
Delaware did not find any pine shoot beetle adults
during 2001. Pine shoot beetle surveys
were conducted in 10 Maryland counties in 2001. This exotic pest has now been found in Allegany, Frederick,
Garrett, and Washington Counties. In
Ohio, pine shoot beetle surveys were conducted throughout the State. To date, 71 out of 88 counties are under
quarantine. In Pennsylvania, this
beetle has been found in 30 counties in the west and northern parts of the
State. To date, in West Virginia, this
beetle has been found only in the four northern panhandle counties of Brooke,
Hancock, Marshall, and Ohio and in two north central counties of Tyler and
Tucker.
In Maine, two beetles were trapped during the survey conducted
in 2001. One was collected at the same trap site in northern Oxford County
where a beetle was trapped in 2000; the other was trapped at a Rangeley trap
site. No infested trees or damage were found in 2000 and 2001. Oxford county
was placed under an interim Federal quarantine in July 2001. In New Hampshire, twelve beetles were caught in pheromone traps in
Coos County. To date no infested trees have been found in the state. In New
York, This beetle is primarily a problem in pine Christmas tree plantations. First found in western New York in 1993, the
insect now occurs across most of the state.
A total of 32 counties are now known to be infested. No new counties were found to be infested in
2001. The areas where the insect has
been found are under a Federal quarantine in an attempt to reduce spread. In Vermont, no damage to pine was detected.
Two adults were trapped in Caledonia County.
No beetles were caught in traps placed in Franklin, Lamoille,
Chittenden, Grand Isle, Orange, Orleans, Windham, and Washington Counties. A
state quarantine that will impact the movement of pine products should go into
effect by March 2002.
Gypsy
Moth
Lymantria dispar
Region9/Northeastern
Area: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Host(s): Apple, aspen, basswood, black walnut,
northern red oak, pin oak, red oak, white oak
In Connecticut, nearly 400 acres were defoliated in
2001. Presence
of Entomophaga maimaiga, kept the defoliation low. This is the second year that
gypsy moth populations increased in southern and central Maine and larval
feeding resulted in widespread defoliation on 29,500 acres in 2001. Feeding was very intense in portions of
York and Cumberland counties with heavy defoliation of sapling and pole size
white pine in many locations. A total of 46,500 acres were
defoliated by the gypsy moth in the State of Maryland. In Massachusetts, defoliation increased from
the 2000 level to 48,000 acres, including the Cape Cod National Seashore. Field
staff reported the presence of Entomophaga
maimaiga in many of the infested areas.
Fall egg mass surveys documented viable egg masses on the outer edges of
the areas defoliated. It is expected
that defoliation will be reduced in 2002.
In New Hampshire, approximately 8,500 acres in Rockingham, Merrimack and
Carroll Counties were defoliated.
Although eggmass counts and sightings of male moths seems to be
increasing, larvae killed by the Entomophaga fungus were found
throughout the state in 2001. The
incidence of this defoliator in New York has been relatively low across most of
the state recent years, partially due to Entomaphaga
maimaga, which attacks the larvae and helps to keep populations low. However, Long Island was exceptionally hard
hit in 2001. It is estimated that
40,000 acres on Long Island alone experienced moderate to severe
defoliation. Other areas in
southeastern New York were impacted to a lesser extent, bringing the total
number of acres defoliated to roughly 50,800, including 831 acres affected at West Point. In parts of the Adirondacks, high larval
populations were reported, but little significant defoliation. For New Jersey,
gypsy moth defoliated 140,900 acres.
Gypsy moth defoliated approximately 42,500 acres in Ohio, 8,000 acres in
Rhode Island, and 3,700 acres in Wisconsin.
The 283,700 acres of gypsy moth defoliation reported in Pennsylvania was
surpassed by the 603,800 acres in West Virginia. In Vermont, 100 acres were defoliated.
Hemlock
Woolly Adelgid
Adelges tsugae
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Connecticut,
Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia,
Host(s): Eastern hemlock
All three of Delaware’s Counties have hemlock woolly
adelgid. In Maryland, hemlock woolly
adelgid continues to slowly move westward and can now be found in 14 counties
and Baltimore City. In New Jersey,
adelgid populations are found in every county.
In Pennsylvania, hemlock woolly adelgid can be found in 39 counties
within the natural range of hemlock.
Hemlock defoliation occurred on 4, 528 acres in 5 counties. Hemlock discoloration and damaged foliage
occurred on another 358 acres in 3 counties.
In West Virginia, hemlock woolly adelgid was reported in three new
counties (Tucker, Randolph, and Raleigh) bringing the total to 16 counties
where this exotic pest occurs.
In Connecticut, this pest occurs in all 169
towns. A statewide detection effort was
launched against the hemlock woolly adelgid in Maine, following up on infested
nursery stock outplanted from Connecticut in 1999. The insect was identified at
10 omarnenta1 outp1anting sites in central, coastal and southern Maine in
Penobscot, Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and York Counties in 2000. In
2001, this pest was detected and again treated for eradication in 15 sites in
York, Penobscot and Waldo counties. At this time the insect is not established
in Maine on native hemlocks. Eleven new communities in Massachusetts were
confirmed to have infestations this year bringing the total known infested
communities to 120 or 34 percent of the state’s communities. The state continued releasing the predator Pseudoscymnus tsugae at two
locations. Some mortality has been
observed in isolated areas of Bristol County.In New Hampshire, three infested
locations were found in Rockingham County and are currently being
eradicated. For the second straight
year, no new county records were found for this insect in New York in
2001. However, new town records were
found. The elongate hemlock scale continues to be found widely in Southeastern
New York, often on trees also infested by the hemlock woolly adelgid and/or the
circular hemlock scale. The locations
of new town records indicate that the infestation continues to spread, and it
is anticipated that new county records for Delaware and Scoharie Counties could
be located in 2001. Stands that have
been infested for several years continue to suffer dieback, decline and
mortality. Infestations continue in
Rhode Island.
Hylurgops palliates
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Pennsylvania
Host(s): Pine, larch, spruce
This European bark beetle was recovered for the
first time in North America in a forest stand of Norway spruce, Scotch pine,
and red pine in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Prior to 2001, this species has been the third most frequently
intercepted exotic bark beetle at ports in the United States. This species is known to breed in log stumps
and basal portions of dead and dying host trees in Europe. The threat that it represents to these
conifer hosts in the United States and Canada is uncertain. Future surveys in 2002 should determine the
extent of its presence in and around Erie, Pennsylvania.
Larch
casebearer
Coleophora laricella
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania
Host(s): Tamarack, Japanese larch
Larch casebearer now occurs throughout the range of
larch species. In 2001 there was a
significant outbreak in the lake states.
Michigan sustained over 22,000 acres of defoliation, Minnesota over
15,000 acres, and Wisconsin reported 66 acres.
A 50-acre plantation of Japanese larch in Schuylkill
County, Pennsylvania, was defoliated by this insect.
Pear
thrips
Taeniothrips inconsequens
Region
9/Northeastern Area: New Hampshire,
Vermont
Host(s): Red maple, sugar maple
In New Hampshire there was no noticeable
defoliation. In Vermont, populations
increased, with scattered moderate to heavy defoliation in the central part of
the state. Overwintering populations
going into 2001 had increased, but rapid spring development minimized damage in
many regions.
Red-haired pine bark beetle
Hylurgus ligniperda
Region
9/Northeatern Area: New York
Host(s): Pines
Overwintering adults of this insect were discovered
at a Christmas tree farm in Monroe County In New York late in the year
2000. Subsequent surveys of eight
surrounding counties located no insects.
The red-haired pine bark beetle feeds mainly on dead material, but may
be capable of spreading black stain fungi to live trees during maturation
feeding.
Red
Pine Scale
Matsucoccus
resinosae
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Connecticut,
Massachusetts
Host(s): Red Pine
This pest occurs statewide in Connecticut and was
recently found in Hampden County, Massachusetts, but no new infestations were
found in 2001.
Satin
moth
Leucoma salicis
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont
Host(s): Aspen
In Maine, defoliation of both quaking and bigtooth
aspen increased again in 2001 for the fourth consecutive year. The infestation
continued its expansion in central Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties, up from
5,337 acres in 2000 to 12,900 acres in 2001. In New Hampshire, heavy defoliation was
reported in the central part of the state.
In Vermont, populations increased from 2000, with isolated areas of
heavy defoliation in Orange and Windsor Counties.
Smaller Japanese cedar longhorn beetle
Callidellum rufipenne
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Connecticut
Host(s): Northern white-cedar or eastern arborvitae
and junipers
The smaller cedar longhorn beetle, a native to
Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and eastern China, was first seen in the United States in
Milford, Connecticut, in 1998 in the branch of a live arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis. A quarantine remained in effect in several
northeastern counties.
DISEASES:
NATIVE
Anthracnose
Gnomonia spp.
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Vermont, West Virginia,
Host(s): American sycamore, beech, birch, London
plane, maples, oaks, and white and miscellaneous hardwoods
In West Virginia, anthracnose disease of hardwoods
was wide spread throughout the State, but caused only light damage. Moisture conditions in West Virginia
influenced the severity of this disease.
Although the spring weather was very moist, there were long, dry spells
between summer rains.
In Vermont, damage was much lighter than 2000 due to
dry growing season conditions and only scattered light damage was observed
Annosus
Root Rot
Heterobasidion annosum
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Wisconsin
Host(s): Red pine
Annosus Root Rot was first reported in 1993 as a
cause of mortality in a red pine plantation in Adams County. In 2,000 a total
of 8 "pockets" (infection centers) had been found in four counties in
Wisconsin. Biological control trials
were initiated in 2001.
Eastern
dwarf mistletoe
Arceuthobium pusillum
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, New
Hampshire, New York, Vermont
Host(s): Black spruce, red spruce, white spruce
In Maine severe damage as the result of infection by
this parasitic plant continues to occur in stands of white spruce in coastal
areas of Maine. Evidence of significant mistletoe infestation was noted in 2001
on coastal headlands and islands from Machias in the east to the Boothbay
region in the west. Scattered
occurrences continue in New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.
Oak
wilt
Ceratocystis fagacearum
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Wisconsin,
Host(s):
Black oak, bur oak, red oak, scarlet oak
Oak wilt is endemic across the region. In Minnesota, over 6,000 acres of mortality
were reported in 2001. here are over
15,000 acres of active oak wilt in the state, almost 7,000 acres have been
controlled to date. Oak wilt continues
to be on the increase in Michigan scattered around the Upper Peninsula and
northern Lower Peninsula. In Wisconsin, almost 2,000 acres of oak wilt report
reported in 2001. Oak wilt caused tree
mortality continued to occur across Iowa.
There were 110 centers with more than 25 infected trees, 281 centers
with 3-25 infected trees, and 395 centers with up to 3 trees infected. Missouri
confirmed oak wilt in 12 counties in 2001.
Pockets of mortality appeared in Bedford and Fulton
Counties, Pennsylvania. Aerial surveys
in West Virginia for oak wilt disease found 30 trees in the 4 high
disease-incident 7.5 minute quads in Grant and Hardy Counties. The additional aerial surveys over the 4
historically oak wilt-free counties of Ohio, Brooke, Tucker, and Webster failed
to detect any oak wilt disease centers.
DISEASES:
NON-NATIVE
Beech
bark disease
Nectria coccinea var. faginata, and Nectria galligena
Region9/Northeastern
Area: Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia,
Host(s): Beech
This exotic disease, now found in a large area of
the northeastern United States, was introduced to Maine in the early
1930’s. The disease continues
throughout Connecticut. In Maine, this
disease continues to kill or reduce the quality of beech stems statewide;
however, the disease does not threaten to eliminate beech from the Maine forest
because some trees are resistant and even susceptible trees sprout profusely
from roots when trees are damaged, killed or harvested. An increase in
mortality has been observed in beech stands infested with beech scale/nectria
in Massachusetts. This increase could
be related to combination of the recent drought and the presence of the beech
scale/nectria. In New Hampshire, the
disease is widespread throughout the forest type. The combination of beech bark disease
and drought caused discoloration and perhaps some mortality in Cattaraugus and
Chautauqua Counties in New York, especially on ridges and other dry sites. In Vermont, chlorosis and dieback was
unusually extensive. The 2001 drought made bark more susceptible to Nectria
infection and increased symptom expression and beech scale populations remain
very heavy in some locations.
The beech scale is widely distributed in west
central lower peninsula and the central UP of Michigan along with both species
of Nectra. The killing front appears to
be emanating from Newberry UP, and Ludington LP. Evaluation and monitoring efforts are underway as is hazard
rating infested trees in recreation areas.
In Lake County, Ohio, the beech scale occurs on
American beech on approximately 50 acres in the Holden Arboretum, but no
Nectria spp. have been discovered. Six
counties in the mountainous central portions of West Virginia have wide-spread,
established beech bark disease infestations.
Dutch
elm disease
Ophiostoma (=Ceratocystis) ulmi and Ophiostoma novo-ulmi
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Endemic throughout
the region
Hosts(s): American elm
Again, symptoms of this disease were conspicuous
throughout the 20 state region. Many
old elms that escaped the initial wave of infection now succumb each year, at
least partially because more aggressive strains of the disease organism have
developed.
European
larch canker
Lachnellula willkommii
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine
Host(s): Larch
European larch canker, first found on native larch
(tamarack) in southeastern Maine in 1981, is now thought to have been in the
State since the 1960s. Because larch
canker has the potential for serious damage to both native larch stands and
reforestation projects using non-native larches, Maine and other states
continue to maintain this disease under state and federal quarantine.
White
pine blister rust
Cronartium ribicola
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Minnesota,
Michigan, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont
Host(s): Eastern white pine
Blister rust is endemic throughout the range of
white pine in the region. Areas near
the Great Lakes are at highest risk of infection. The question of the validity of risk zone maps for white pine
blister rust was addressed this year in a comparison study of disease incidence
across Wisconsin's four risk zones. Cankers occurred on 7.1% of surveyed trees
statewide, Levels of rust were significantly higher for trees bordering the
edge of plantations where the alternate host, Ribes, was present in
adjacent woods or fencerows. The proximity of Ribes proved to be the
most significant determinant of rust levels.
This disease remained common, but static at moderate
levels in Mercer, Monroe, Pocahontas, and Summers Counties, West Virginia.
Maine continues limited control efforts to manage this
disease in certain high value pine stands each year. In 2001, 462 acres of high
quality pine timber was scouted for Ribes spp. plants in
Androscoggin, Oxford, and Cumberland counties and a total of 1,075 plants were
destroyed. In New York, it is believed
to persist at varying levels on infection where wild Ribes spp. occurs. In
Vermont, cankers and flagging branches remain common. A white pine health evaluation survey will provide incidence data
on this disease. The average incidence
of infection throughout New Hampshire is 2.4 percent.
DISEASES:
ORIGIN UNKNOWN
Butternut
canker
Sirococcus
clavigignenti-juglandacearum
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Regionwide
Host(s): Butternut
In Connecticut, 94 percent of surveyed trees are
infected. The upward trend of this
disease is expected to continue in Maine into the foreseeable future. This disease has been found
in 36 counties in New York. Where
butternut is found the canker almost always infects it. No new county records were found in 2001. In Vermont, the disease was common on
butternut trees statewide. There is considerable
evidence that resistant individual butternut trees exist within the native
population and researchers are now beginning to develop strategies to exploit
that resistance to protect the species. No new counties were reported elsewhere.
Dogwood
Anthracnose
Discula destructiva
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Regionwide
Host(s): Flowering dogwood
This disease has spread throughout the range of
flowering dogwood in the Northeastern States.
A total of 31 counties in New York have been confirmed to be impacted by
dogwood anthracnose, however no new counties were found in 2001.
The incidence of dogwood anthracnose continued to be
prevalent in all three Delaware counties with dead and dying dogwood trees
quite noticeable in many areas of the state.
Dogwood anthracnose was found in all counties in Maryland. Diseased and dying trees were found in all
counties in West Virginia.
Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana have scattered
reports of dogwood anthracnose.
DECLINES/COMPLEXES
Ash
Decline
Region
9/Northeastern Area: New Hampshire
Host(s): White ash
This decline is scattered throughout New Hampshire
with ash yellows as a possible cause.
Ash
Yellows
Phytoplasma
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Iowa, Wisconsin,
Host(s): White and green ash
Ash yellows has been found in 10 counties in
Wisconsin: Brown, Calumet, Dane, Door,
Sauk, Marathon, Manitowoc, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Waukesha. About 60 pockets of yellow were found along
the major river drainages in Iowa, principally along the upper Mississippi.
Bacterial
leaf scorch
Xylella fastidiosa
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Delaware,
Maryland, New Jersey, West Virginia
Host(s): Northern red oak, scarlet oak, and pin oak
Bacterial leaf scorch is now known to occur in New
Castle County, Delaware. No surveys
were conducted in Kent or Sussex Counties, Delaware. High-valued, urban trees in Annapolis and Ocean City, Maryland,
were found to have this disease in 2001.
Ground surveys in Mercer, Burlington, Camden, Salem, and Gloucester Counties
found ornamental red, pin and scarlet oaks infected by the bacterium which
causes bacterial leaf scorch. Again,
aerial and ground surveys determined the disease was more concentrated in urban
areas than in woodlands. Surveys for
this disease were done in the Cities of Huntingdon, Charleston, South
Charleston, and at Midway in Jefferson County, West Virginia. To date, this disease only has been
confirmed on a red oak tree at the Jefferson County location.
Brown
ash decline
Fraxinus nigra
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine
Host(s): Black ash (brown ash)
Most black ash, Fraxinus
nigra, (referred to as brown ash in Maine), recovered from the statewide
decline that first became apparent in 1989.
Recovering trees continued to rebuild their crowns after an extended
period of profound decline during the last decade.
Elm
yellows
Phytoplasma
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maryland, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, West Virginia
Host(s): American elm, slippery elm
Elm yellows surveys in Frederick, Washington, and Allegany
Counties, Maryland, indicated a lower incidence of the disease than the
previous year. In Ohio, roadside
surveys reported elm yellows in the crown of scattered elms. In Pennsylvania,
the disease was observed in Carbon, Monore, Pike, and Warren Counties. The Pike County location was along US 209 in
the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area south of Dingman’s Ferry. Elm yellows surveys in 8 West Virginia
counties found elms to show symptoms on slightly over 300,000 acres.
Larch
stressors - Larch sawfly, Pristiphora
erichsonii, and Eastern larch beetle, Dendroctonus
simplex
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont
Host(s): Eastern larch
In Maine, drought-like conditions in mid summer of
both 2000 and 2001, along with locally moderate to heavy defoliation by larch
casebearer, larch sawfly, and a variety of foliage and/or tip blights and larch
beetle, has placed continued stress on larch especially in central and eastern
Maine. Over 700 acres of larch decline were mapped in the northern portion of
New Hampshire. In Vermont, larch
decline is increasing in northeastern Vermont, with many new areas, following
the 1999 and 2001 droughts.
Oak
tatters
Cause
unknown
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Wisconsin
Host(s): Bur and white oak
Tatters was observed scattered over the southern
two-thirds of the state. The exact
cause is unknown but possible causes include cold temperature, insects, and
herbicides.
Sugar
maple decline
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Pennsylvania
Host(s): Sugar maple
Since the mid-1980s, the health and decline of sugar
maple in northern Pennsylvania has been associated with several droughts and
several insect defoliations across the unglaciated and glaciated regions of the
Allegheny Plateau. Studies across elevational
gradients in this region have shown that low soil pH adversely influences tree
growth and crown vigor as well as seed crop frequency and abundance in these
stands already stressed by insect defoliators and drought.
White
pine decline
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine, New
Hampshire
Host(s): White pine
In Maine, the status of pines affected seems to have
stabilized in 2001. Following the drought of 1995, white pines with symptoms of
this disease declined and died on sites where rooting depth has been
restricted. Previously symptomatic trees have survived and there was also very
little additional mortality. Declining trees are still evident in New Hampshire
in areas where it was previously observed, in some cases in association with the fungus Caliciopsis
pinea.
ABIOTIC
DAMAGE
Drought
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia
Host(s):
Various forest and street trees, especially black oak, red oak, hardwoods and
softwoods
Drought conditions eased in 2001. It has been the overriding forest health
concern in Missouri for several years.
Precipitation was average or above average in northern and western parts
of the state, however many areas have not fully recovered. Oak decline and
related wood borer damage has increased in parts of southern Missouri as a
result.
The affects of the 1999 drought are prevalent across
the forests of Indiana. About 50% or
more of the 4.5 million acres of forest are suffering damage in the form of
altered crown conditions – reduced density and increased transparency.
The species showing crown symptoms are yellow poplar
and the oaks. Yellow poplar is showing
more problems from drought than other species.
In south central Indiana, yellow poplar of all size classes are
declining to some degree, such that foresters have begun to remove them from
the forest. Reports have also been
received that growth rates of declining trees have been severely reduced for
the past 10 years.
Drought related stress was reported on 18,000 acres
in Michigan and 32,000 acres in Minnesota.
The trend of declining moisture patters prevailed in
many regions of Pennsylvania as drought conditions persisted throughout the
2001 growing season. Periods of drought
have been occurring regularly since 1988 in the mid-Atlantic region. Oak mortality was significant in Berks
County, Pennsylvania. Drought
conditions in Ohio remained about the same in 2001. Although the early spring of 2001 had only half the normal
precipitation in Ohio, excessive rainfall late in the spring brought soil
moisture to near normal levels. In
West Virginia, the rainfall during the growing season varied from heavy rains
to periodic droughts. The heavy rains
technically broke the drought, but the impact of the drought in previous years
continued.
As a result of the drought in 1998 and '99 many
trees are still showing signs of stress in Massachusetts. Particularly hard hit were the streets trees
and trees growing at higher elevation.
In New Hampshire, drought conditions were prevalent throughout the
state. Drought was a major factor in forest health for many areas of New York
in 2001. Many regions of the state
underwent mild to severe drought conditions, As a result, discoloration, branch
flagging, and some mortality was observed for various tree species, especially
along ridge tops. The dry conditions
almost certainly exacerbated the effects of pest and disease problems where they
existed. In Vermont, drought damage to
hardwoods was widespread, and most noticeable on shallow or excessively-
drained soils. Precipitation was below
normal beginning in late spring, and drought conditions increased throughout
the growing season. Symptoms included leaf browning, defoliation, and shoot
mortality. All species were affected, with the heaviest damage observed on
beech and yellow birch.
Flooding
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Iowa, Minnesota,
West Virginia
Host(s): Hardwoods and softwoods
Heavy summer rains caused severe flooding in the
southern and western counties West Virginia.
Recurring floods damaged trees on over 12,000 acres
along the Minnesota and Mississippi river drainages, and scattered losses were
reported along the 6 major river areas in Iowa.
Ice/Frost
Damage
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont
Host(s): Various hardwoods and softwoods
In Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, ice
damage remains noticeable as trees continue to recover from the January 1998
storm. Tree
species that possess the ability to produce sprouts in damaged portions of
their crowns displayed lush foliage in 2000 and 2001. Species that have
recovered best from significant crown loss include white ash, red oak, and
sugar maple. Many trees that lost more than 75 percent of their total crown now
have smaller but apparently normal crowns. Approximately 100,000 acres of red and black oak in
Massachusetts were severely damaged by a sudden drop in temperature on May
7. Unusually warm temperatures had been
experienced with sufficient moisture to cause the buds to open. The sudden drop in temperature severely
damaged the newly emerging foliage, causing nearly 100% defoliation of these
species in Middlesex, Worcester, Hampden and Hampshire counties. Other counties experienced some damage but
to a far lesser extent. In New
Hampshire, in early May, frost damaged 10,159 acres in the southern counties. Damage was concentrated on the upper and
outer branches and the trees re-foliated. In Rhode Island, frost damage occurred in May on
54,000 acres affecting oak, hickory, beech, and ash. All counties in rural
areas were affected.
Wind/tornado/storm
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Minnesota,
Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Vermont
Host(s): Various hardwoods and conifers
Wind damage in Minnesota was down in 2,002 to 308
acres, down from 1,740 acres in 2001.
The state is still experiencing the effects of the catastrophic blowdown
in 1999 which affected 465,882 acres.
Salvage and prescribed burning has lowered the fire danger and limited
bark beetle outbreaks.
Straight line wind, hail, and tornado damage
affected 61,901 acres across Wisconsin.
In 2000 over 200,000 acres were similarly damaged. Initial surveys indicated only 6% mortality
and 72% of trees had less than 50% dieback, however, by the end of the year
mortality jumped to 66% in one stand.
Ten acres in Chichester, New Hampshire and three
acres in Weare were affected. In
Vermont, limb breakage was widely scattered, due to heavy wet late winter snow
in 2000.
Winter
injury
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Minnesota
Host(s): White pine, northern white cedar
Winter burn was reported on over 1,300 acres in
Minnesota.
INVASIVE
PLANTS
Region
9/Northeastern Area: Vermont
In Vermont, invasive plants affect the regeneration of native species. Invasive species of concern include glossy buckthorn, Tartarian honeysuckle, Morrow honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, European buckthorn, European barberry, Japanese barberry, burning bush, Norway maple, autumn olive, Russian olive, European spindletree, and white poplar.