Hemlock Wooly Adelgid

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA) was initially found in the eastern US in the early 1950s. Since then, this pest has decimated both eastern and Carolina hemlocks in a large portion of their ranges. There have been a few HWA infestations found in Michigan, chiefly due to landscape trees that were brought into the state before a quarantine was established.

HWA is a small, aphid-like insect that secretes a white wax that gives them the characteristic cotton appearance. They feed on the base of hemlock needles, eventually killing the tree’s needles, shoots and branches.

For more information on this pest, visit the following websites: