Forest Pest Monitoring for Landowners

Join WRISC's winter survey technicians to learn how to monitor your trees for invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid!

What is it?

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, or HWA, is a watch list species in Michigan. Found in a few places in the lower peninsula, HWA has not yet been detected in the Upper Peninsula. We are prioritizing early detection surveying to respond to the threat early if found.

This invasive forest pest feeds on Eastern Hemlock trees, weakening the trees and eventually leading to mortality. These tiny pests are nearly impossible to see in the summer, but during the winter they are immobile while feeding on the tree sap and they produce a waxy coating around their bodies which looks like white, woolly tufts on the base of the needles. Since the risk of spread is low and the insects are not moving around, we survey for this pest in the winter time!