(Aproceros leucopada)
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae) is a tiny sap-feeding insect that infests hemlock trees and can cause rapid decline by draining nutrients from young twigs. Infested trees often show needle loss, branch dieback, thinning crowns, and the insect’s distinctive white, cotton-like masses at the base of the needles. Without intervention, repeated feeding eventually kills the tree.
What You Can Do
- Inspect hemlock trees for white woolly masses on twigs, especially during late fall through early summer.
- Avoid moving firewood, logs or mulch from areas where Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is known to occur.
- Purchase hemlock nursery stock only from reputable, certified sources.
- If you suspect an infestation, report it immediately to the Wisconsin DNR invasive species reporting portal or call the state pest hotline.
