Annoying Alien Bug Infestations!

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid aka Adelges tsugae
Link: http://www.saveourhemlocks.org/

This is a fluid-feeding insect that feeds on hemlock trees throughout North America. This insect was introduced from Asia to the Pacific Northwest in 1924, and to the Northeaster US in about the 1950s. This insect lacks natural enemies and has spread throughout the US creating extreme amounts of damage to stands of natural Hemlock trees and is considered to be the greatest threat to Hemloack Trees.

Due to this threat the USDA Forest Service is taking action by furthuring research to help prevent futhur infestations and by following these management steps:
· Biological Control: Mass rear and release available predators including
technology development of mass rearing and release techniques. Evaluate the
effectiveness of predator release and impacts on HWA populations.
· Chemical Control: Refine and update application technology; pilot test new
methods; update recommendations to users; where appropriate, provide technical
and financial assistance in control programs.
· Survey & Monitoring: Enhance detection and delineation of new and current
infestations; implement and evaluate improved sampling techniques and methods
to predict rate of spread; identify areas at high risk.
· Impacts/Economics: Conduct an assessment of potential economic and ecological
impacts. At a regional level, quantify impacts to the hemlock resource and assess
potential effects on associated fauna and flora, threatened and endangered species,
and water quality.
· Silvicultural Management: Identify, demonstrate, and disseminate information on
silvicultural alternatives for landowners.
· Slowing Spread: Facilitate the establishment of compatible state regulatory
policies; develop a program to enhance detection of new infestations; provide
financial and technical support for eradication of new infestations.
A full report on their managrement and research can be found at:http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/hwa/pub/hwa_mgt_plan.pdf

Gypsy Moth aka Lymantria dispar
Links:

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/gypsymoth/gypsy.htm
http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/morgantown/4557/gmoth/.fs.fed.us/ne/morgantown/4557/gmoth/
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/gypsymoth/manage.htm

The Gypsy Moth is a defoliating insect. It was introduced to the US in 1869 by a French scientist and the first real outbreak occurred in 1889. The gypsy moth is known to feed on hundreds of species foliage in North America, but usually infest hardwood and the most common hosts of the insect are oaks and aspen trees. These insects will defoliate the crown of a tree, which can severely stunt radial growth. Trees can recover from the Gypsy Moth, but if a tree is frequented more than once by the insect, they are made weaker and are unable to regenerate as well in the future.

There are a variety of natural enemies that are known to the Gypsy Moth which include: insect parasitoids and predators that were introduced over the last 100 years from Asia and Europe, small mammals are perhaps the most important gypsy moth predator, especially at low population densities, birds are also known to prey on gypsy moths but at least in North America this does not substantially affect populations.

A number of tactics have the potential to minimize damage from gypsy moth infestations and to contain or maintain gypsy moth populations at levels considered tolerable. These tactics include monitoring gypsy moth populations, maintaining the health and vigour of trees, discouraging gypsy moth survival, and treating with insecticides to kill larvae and protect tree foliage. The tactic or combination of tactics used will depend on the condition of the site and of the tree or stand and the level of the gypsy moth population. Tactics suggested for homeowners are probably too costly and too labour intensive for managers to use in forest stands.

The goverment of British Coloumbia prevents infestation by following these steps:

-Prevent shipment of or intercept, commercial goods and vehicles infested with life stages of gypsy moths. This activity is presently the responsibility of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency who have established regulated areas to minimize the risk of spread of known gypsy moth populations.

-Detect newly introduced populations through a province-wide inter-agency detection program. Click here for more information on the detection program.
-Eradicate new introduced populations when detected before they become widely established and impossible to eradicate. Click on this link to obtain a more detailed description of the Eradication Strategy
-Develop cost effective and timely methods to prevent shipments of infested personal goods when people move to North America om areas permanently infested with gypsy moths.
-Seek new, proven, practical and environmentally sound methods of eradicating gypsy moths that further reduce effects on non-target moths and butterflies.
-Maintain communication systems to ensure advance knowledge of outbreaks of gypsy moths wherever they occur in the world so as to respond quickly to the increased threat of introduction such outbreaks produce.

The governement deals with already established infestations by following an eradication stadegdy:
This stadegdy depends on a monitoring system using pheromone traps to do early detection of moth introductions. Once moths are detected, the following year a more intensive trapping program, known as "delimiting trapping" is initiated to provide more accurate estimates of the location and approximate size of the moth population. If populations are significant (as determined by gypsy moth control specialists), the trap data - sometimes combined with egg mass survey information - is used to determine the area of treatment.



The Asian Long Horned Beetle aka Anoplophora glabripennis
Links:

http://www.asian-longhorned-beetle.com/asianlonghornedbeetle-3.htm
http://www.uvm.edu/albeetle/management/prevention.html

The Asian Long Horned Beetle (ALB) is believed to have arrived in North America in wooden packing material used in cargo shipments from China. The trees that are favoured by this insect are maples, but have been discovered in poplars, willows, elms, mullberries, and black locusts. The insect feeds on the heartwood of mature trees, and burrow through the bark, therefor leaving sawdust-like piles at the base of the tree. They make holes in which sap flow will seep from the tree, causing the tree damage.

Currently, there is no known biological or chemical form of defense against the ALB and to make matters worse, they have few natural predators. In case of infestation, the affected trees are cut down and the wood is destroyed. There have been large isolated outreaks in Brooklyn and Amityville, New York, and in Chicago, Illinois. In all instances where ALBs are found, authorities have reacted quickly to stop the infestation from spreading.

The University of Vermont list steps to eradicating and preventing the ALB as follows:
-Identify and remove all infested trees as soon as possible.
-Removal should include grinding of the stump to a depth of 8 inches when there is evidence of ALB infestation on the lower 2 feet of the bole or on the roots.
-All materials resulting from the tree removal will be chipped and burned.
-Replanting within the infested areas should be done with non-susceptible tree species
-Carry out visual delimiting survey to determine the extent and area of infestation.
-Initiate a public awareness program to alert the public and other organizations of additional infestation sites.
-Prevent by prohibiting infested wood