Adelgids are aphid-like insects. The hemlock woolly Adelgid is a tiny exotic invasive species that gets its name from it's woolly white appearance and because its host is the hemlock tree. This bug is considered invasive because they Destroy Eastern hemlock trees. The tree will lose health and begin to drops needles, this can cause defoliation, which will in turn lead to death. If left alone and uncontrolled, the Adelgids can kill a tree in a short time span, 3 to 4 years. Trees of all sizes are attacked by the adelgid, but natural strands of hemlock are at greatest risk for death. Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is believed to be a native of Japan and China. It is found in the eastern United States from South Carolina and is moving north all the way up to New Hampshire.
Fun Facts:
-All populations are made up of females that reproduce.
-A fully grown adult of the hemlock woolly Adelgid is only about the size of a period on this printed page.
- In early spring, overwintering females lay between 100 and 300 eggs in the woolly egg sacs beneath the branches.
Sources:
http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/images/hwaadults.jpg
http://www.saveourhemlocks.org/adelgid.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemlock_woolly_adelgid
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