New guidelines have been announced by MSU to protect forests in West Michigan from an invasive species called hemlock wooly adelgid.
The insect species have been found in Allegan, Muskegon, Oceana and Ottawa Counties, where it can quickly kill hemlock trees in a 4-10 year span.
Master Gardener Jan Meeuwsen of Debruyn Seed in Zeeland says that treatment of the trees is simple and very necessary. “You only have to treat hemlocks once every 2-3 years, so it’s not going to be a huge investment to your money but it certainly will save the trees,” she told host Gary Stevens during Tuesday’s WHTC Morning News. “Remember, over 90% of our hemlock in Michigan are full grown trees, so if they die it’s quite an expense to tear them down.”
You can identify whether your trees are affected by hemlock wooly adelgid by looking for a white, waxy substance on the shoots and branches of the tree. A systemic insecticide from any garden store sprayed at the base of the tree trunk should fight the invasive species.
Head to http://www.michigan.gov/invasives for more information about the hemlock wolly adelgid and how to prevent its spread.
