The hemlock woolly adelgid is a tiny insect with
an
enormous capacity for destruction in a complex ecosystem.
And when the question is, "How can we get rid of these pests?" the
answer is far from easy. Sadly, the short answer is that we cannot, and
probably never will, get rid of them completely.
Perhaps the more appropriate question is "How can
we control them?" Again, the answer is not simple, but scientists believe
that by using a combination of methods, it may be possible to control HWA
populations and the damage they cause to such an extent that the hemlocks can survive
and even thrive again.
There are three main categories of HWA controls:
cultural, chemical, and biological. Property owners should use a combination of
cultural techniques and chemical treatments for the most reliable and
cost-effective HWA control.
High priority stands of hemlocks on public
lands (national forests, state parks, recreational areas, etc.) are being treated
with carefully managed programs of chemical and/or biological controls; please
see Hemlock Conservation Areas
(HCAs).
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•
Some
Imidacloprid products in liquid formulations are more economical
than the powdered products. See the
Chemical Controls page for
their names and the Contacts page for sources.
• A fourth
predatory beetle, Scymnus coniferarum, has been identified in the
Pacific Northwest, but we are not sure if or when it will be designated for
release on eastern forests. In addition, two species of silver flies in
the Pacific Northwest are showing promise as potential biological controls for
hemlock woolly adelgid in the eastern U. S.
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