Hemlocks in Danger?

Trail Wood #108 Earl Plato
How many Eastern hemlocks are there in Trail Wood sanctuary? I don’t know but there is a Hemlock Glen there. Teale mentions it but doesn’t say too much about this evergreen. However, we are concerned about the many hemlocks found in Marcy’s Woods. On May 15th we lead Sarah Leone, Plant protection inspector scientist, into Marcy’s Woods to look for an important pest of hemlock trees, the Hemlock Wooley Adelgid. Daughter Allison and I had already looked for the tell tale cottony white egg sacs at he end of branches. We found none but we are not scientists. Why so serious? The small aphid-like insects, the Wooly adelgid sucks sap from the needles. For most of its life it is covered by a white, woolly substance that it secretes over its body. They feed primarily on young branches causing cessation of growth. There is a discoloration and premature dropping of needles, the dieback of branches and possible death of the tree in little as one year! Infestation has been found outside of Rochester, New York. That’s not far away - 160 km - 100 miles. We need the least-toxic control when it arrives. Check your home hemlocks.