The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid is a tiny, non-native aphid-like insect that, if left unchecked, kills Hemlock trees by feeding at the base of Hemlock needles and preventing nutrients from flowing to the needles - the needles drop, and the tree dies. Woolly Adelgids can kill Hemlocks in just a few years.

Knowing that the insects decimated Hemlock populations throughout the eastern United States, the Town of Cary worked with the State of North Carolina and subject experts to develop a Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Treatment Plan in 2005.

Summer 2011

The Town has received laboratory confirmation from its tested samples that there is no evidence of activity of the woolly adelgids on the Hemlocks treated last summer. Contractors will return in October 2011 and June 2012 for re-inspections and reapplication if necessary.

Details

Woolly Adelgids were discovered at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve on June 21, 2010 during a tree mapping project. The infestation was relatively small, limited to 11 Hemlock trees in the Preserve. There are 239 Eastern Hemlocks located along the north-facing bluffs of the unique 158-acre site in southern Cary. 

The Town developed a multi-phased approach to kill the existing Adelgids, including "bark painting" and comprehensive inspections. This process included an ongoing treatment protocol to manage re-infestation. The Town also launched a Hemlock Health Census designed to map all of the eastern Hemlocks in Cary, determine which were infested by the Woolly Adelgid, and encourage appropriate treatment protocols for private property owners.

More Information

The Preserve is a partnership between the Town of Cary – which maintains the Preserve, operates the programs, and owns the structures -- and the State of North Carolina, which owns most of the land and helps guide its stewardship. In addition to the Town and the State, those participating in the treatment process include the NC Forest Service and NC State University.

Links

Brochure: Hemlock Woolly Adelgid - NC Division of Forest Resources
Recommendations for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Control in the Landscape - NCSU Forestry Extension

Contact

Doug McRainey
Parks Planning Manager
(919) 460-4973
doug.mcrainey@townofcary.org