Appalachian Arborists 

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Saving Your Hemlocks from the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

Our goal at Appalachian Arborists is to maintain your trees in a vigorous state of growth with enough energy reserves to remain healthy despite a steady influx of hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA).  While 100% elimination is difficult, it is also not necessary in order to have healthy, lush hemlocks.

Timely treatments and monitoring are key components in the active management of your trees.  Even trees in poor condition often respond favorably to control treatments. Although several seasons may pass before the tree looks "normal" again, removal of the tree should be the last option!

SO PLEASE... TREAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

How can I save my trees?

Assess your hemlock resources.  Since you will have to treat every tree you want to keep, think long-term and prioritize.  Your trees are now on life-support.

Select the trees you want to keep.  If cost effective, thin out, girdle, or remove redundant or less functional trees.  Remember, ever tree will need to be treated if you want to keep it.  Again, think long-term costs and benefits.  Imagine the tree in 10-15 years- will it be in a suitable place with room to grow?

Treat the selected trees promptly using the most effective and appropriate method.  Some insecticides used for adelgid control are restricted by the EPA and thus professionals applying them must be licensed and trained.

Treatment options for HWA

We offer:

• Imidacloprid soil injection
• Imidacloprid stem injection
• Insecticidal soap/dormant oil

Please note that the woolly masses may persist for several months even after the adelgids are dead.

Whether you have a single tree or a thousands, we can design a control program tailored to the specific constraints of your property.

Predator beetles and HWA control

Appalachian Arborists has been involved with the US Forest Service in canopy releases of "predator beetles", a bio-control organism, which feeds exclusively on HWA.  Although not an economically feasible control option for homeowners, predator beetles have been used successfully in large forest stands in New England and they have been extensively released throughout the eastern US.

While we are hopeful that some ancient forests will be saved, it will take a number of years before wild populations of the beetle could be sufficient to control HWA on urban trees.  In the meantime, it is important to no wait for the beetles and thus allow your trees to succumb to HWA.  We hope they will take over later!