Press Release

WHAT: Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on Mount Desert Island – A Maine Forest Service presentation sponsored by the Bar Harbor Conservation Commission;
WHEN: 5 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 28;
WHERE: Jesup Memorial Library, Bar Harbor.

Hemlock woolly adelgid is an invasive forest insect that threatens the vitality of Maine’s forest and ornamental hemlock trees. It is known to be established in southern coastal Maine and appears to spreading inland and into the Down East area.

Since September 2011, three separate infestations of hemlock woolly adelgid on planted trees have been confirmed in the town of Mount Desert. The Maine Forest Service (MFS) is conducting surveys on the island to attempt to determine if those infestations are isolated. MFS staff members will be expanding their search to other coastal areas in Down East Maine.

In recognition of “National Invasive Species Awareness Week,” from Feb. 26-March 3, and to inform local residents, the MFS will present an informational session about hemlock woolly adelgid and its impact on hemlock trees.

The information presented will provide tools to identify, monitor for, and respond to detections of this insect. You will learn about the history of hemlock woolly adelgid in Maine, its natural history and control.

For more information contact: Allison Kanoti, Maine Forest Service forest entomologist, at 287-3147 or allison.m.kanoti@maine.gov.

For more information, go to: www.maineforestservice.gov/HemlockWoollyAdelgid.htm