By Paul Cigan, forest health specialist, Hayward. Paul.Cigan@wisconsin.gov; 715-416-4920
Forest tent caterpillar larvae feeding on ash foliage. Photo: Paul Cigan
Late-winter surveys in northern Wisconsin for egg masses of forest tent caterpillars (FTC) suggest that numbers will remain low through 2018, continuing a 15-year trend, one of the longest documented intervals between FTC outbreaks in the state. Continue reading “Forest tent caterpillar: surveys, prediction, and history”
By Mike Hillstrom, forest health specialist, Fitchburg. Michael.hillstrom@wisconsin.gov; (608) 513-7690
A Lindgren funnel trap hung to collect beetles near Green Bay, WI. Photo: Mike Hillstrom
Scott Schumacher, an insect trapper for the Wisconsin DNR’s forest health team, will spend this summer hunting for non-native beetles using funds provided by the U.S. Forest Service. The survey is particularly focused on non-native bark and ambrosia beetles, which are potentially harmful to Wisconsin forests. In early May, Schumacher hung Lindgren funnel traps at 12 sites in Wisconsin which he will be checking throughout the season. Traps were placed at high-risk sites in wooded areas near large commercial port entries on Lake Michigan and near pallet and other waste-packaging recycling companies. Although preventing the arrival of non-native species is always top priority, early detection and rapid response (EDRR) to newly-detected infestations is an important strategy to protect forests from damaging invaders.
By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff. Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov; 715-356-5211 x232
One option for removal of ladybugs from your home is to flick them into a small container containing soapy water, which will kill them. Photo: Linda Williams
In the December 2017 edition of Forest Health News, I wrote about ladybugs congregating in or on homes during autumn. Now that winter has finally ended in Wisconsin, ladybugs that spent winter in the walls of your house are emerging, and many of those will accidentally emerge into, not out of, your home. This can create panic or aggravation, depending on you (or your spouse’s) tolerance for insects in the house. Continue reading “Ladybugs in your house this spring?”
By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff, (Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov), 715-356-5211 x232
The two cigar-shaped, tan objects sticking to the newly expanding needles of this tamarack tree are larch casebearer caterpillars, feeding on the foliage. Photo: Linda Williams
As tamarack needles begin to appear, so do some tiny caterpillars that feed on them. Larch casebearers defoliate tamarack trees early in the season, first causing the trees to look pale green or yellowish, or even brown if defoliation is severe. This year I have been able to find larch casebearers wherever I look, but so far, I haven’t found any high populations of the insect. Continue reading “Defoliation by larch casebearers”
Trees have grown in this low area for many years, but high-water levels and constant rainfall in 2017 was too much for them. The larger trees have already died, and the small white pine are not doing well at all. Photo: Linda Williams
By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff. Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov; 715-356-5211 x232
I continue to get calls about dying trees that are a direct result of all the rainfall we got throughout last year’s growing season. When the ground is saturated so many times throughout the growing season as we saw last year, trees are put under significant stress. Even trees that typically grow well in seasonally wet areas may not do well when the ground is wet for extended periods. Under these conditions, roots start to die due to lack of oxygen, and the crown of the tree will also die back. Continue reading “Tree mortality in low areas”
Red pine with needle tip browning on the lower crown. Photo: Paul Cigan
By Paul Cigan, forest health specialist, Hayward. Paul.Cigan@wisconsin.gov; 715-416-4920
Although no tree mortality is associated with the condition, widespread needle tip browning on red pine has been observed for the second consecutive year across much of the upper Great Lakes region. The condition is heavier in some places than others, but once in a stand or location, tends to be evenly distributed. Needle tip browning is common on the lower half of mature red pine crowns. On two- to three-year-old needles, the outer half to three-quarters of the needles appear reddish brown to straw-colored while needle bases remain green. Black or dark brown necrotic bands and spots are often present on symptomatic needle tips. Lower crown thinning is also common on symptomatic pine. Newly impacted needles will gradually lighten in color from reddish brown to straw-colored as dead needle tips dry out through the growing season. Continue reading “Region-wide needle tip browning on red pine”
Spruce trees affected by rhizosphaera needle cast disease will have thin foliage in the lower parts of the tree, and branches may die in severe cases. Some trees are more susceptible, like the tree on the far left and the tree on the far right. Photo: Bethany and J.R. Pulham
By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff. Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov; 715-356-5211 x232
Are the lower branches of your spruce tree suddenly looking very thin? Rhizosphaera needle cast disease, caused by a fungal pathogen, can severely impact spruce, killing needles and causing them to drop prematurely. Wet years such as 2017 are great for the fungus, but bad for trees. Spring 2016 was also unusually wet, allowing the fungus to start to build up. With all the rain and wet conditions of 2017, the disease exploded. Continue reading “Rhizosphaera needle cast disease on spruce”
By Jodie Ellis, communications specialist, Madison. Jodie.Ellis@wisconsin.gov; 608-843-3506
Thanks to all of you who participated in our recent reader survey. About one-fifth of subscribers (336 out of 1,741) took part, providing valuable information which will help us develop better ways to serve all of our readers. The survey was completed April 15, 2018.
Following are some of the things we learned.
Numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number. Some participants chose to skip some questions. Questions are presented below with the total number of respondents indicated in parentheses.
Less than 5 acres 13%
5 – 10 acres 14%
11 – 100 acres 54%
More than 100 acres 19%
Northeast zone 30%
East central zone 18%
Northwest zone 18%
West central zone 5%
Central zone 21%
South central zone 12%
Southeast zone 4% MAP
Northeast zone 26%
East central zone 15%
Northwest zone 19%
West central zone 10%
Central zone 21%
South central zone 11%
Southeast zone 10%
Not interested 1%
How often do you read Forest Health News? (318)
Each time I receive an e-mail notification 74%
More than half the time 20%
Less than half the time 4%
Seldom or never 1%
How would you rate the overall content of Forest Health News? (319)
Excellent 43%
Good 52%
Neither good nor poor 5%
Poor n/a
Terrible n/a
Always 22%
Usually 44%
Sometimes 28%
Seldom 5%
Never 1%
Very interesting 31%
Mostly interesting 62%
Neither interesting or uninteresting 6%
Mostly uninteresting 1%
Very uninteresting < 1%
Extremely satisfied 30%
Usually satisfied 58%
Neither satisfied or dissatisfied 11%
Usually dissatisfied n/a
Extremely dissatisfied n/a
Completely agree 71%
Somewhat agree 25%
Neither agree nor disagree 3%
Somewhat disagree 1%
Completely disagree n/a
I read all articles. 33%
I read only articles specific to my zone(s). 12%
I read only articles designated as statewide. n/a
I read a mix of articles, from both the statewide category and articles in specific zones categories. 55%
Easy 65%
Neither easy nor difficult 28%
Difficult 7%
| Category | Extremely relevant | Mostly relevant | Neither relevant nor irrelevant | Mostly irrelevant | Extremely irrelevant |
| Information about quarantines and other regulatory concerns (314)
|
46% | 32% | 14% | 5% | 3% |
| Current pest and disease observations and management information (313) | 59% | 30% | 6% | 3% | 2% |
| General education information about invasive plants and pests (313)
|
49% | 38% | 8% | 3% | 2% |
| Management and regulation of invasive species (312)
|
49% | 36% | 10% | 4% | 2% |
Information about quarantines and other regulatory concerns 12%
Current pest and disease observations and management information 60%
General educational information about invasive plants and pests 15%
Management and regulation of invasive plants 13%
Once a month all year round. 38%
Once every two months all year round. 19%
Monthly during the growing season; less frequently during winter. 19%
The frequency is not important to me. 24%
Under 20 years old n/a
20-25 years old 3%
26-35 years old 14%
36-45 years old 19%
46-55 years old 25%
Older than 55 years 40%
Fast 39%
Adequate 48%
Slow 13%
Forester 48%
Land manager 7%
Logger < 1%
Mill employee n/a
Craftsman < 1%
Scientist/researcher 3%
Student < 1%
Policymaker < 1%
Education/outreach professional 4%
Professional/business services 7%
Landowner 19%
Other 11%
Federal agency 3%
State agency 49%
County agency 8%
Municipal agency 7%
Private sector 16%
Tribal government or business 1%
Non-profit organization 2%
Academic institution 2%
Other 13%
USDA n/a
APHIS n/a
US Forest Service 44%
Other 56% (none specified)
WI DNR 92%
WI DATCP <1%
Other 7%
Ticks pose increasing health threats throughout North America. Photo: WI DNR
from the May 2018 edition of RECReport, for the WI DNR Bureau of Parks and Recreation Management
The University of Wisconsin-Madison, a partner in the Midwest Center of Excellence (Center) in Vector-Borne Diseases, has announced that “Tick App” is now available for download. Tick App is a phone application that is part research tool and part educational tool with the goal to transition towards a preventative tool over time.
The Center would like to enroll people, by the app, in their study to determine the risk for tick encounters, assess the success/failure of self-reported prevention strategies, and educate people at the same time. Participation is entirely voluntary. When people download the app, they will go through a sign-up process—and about 5 minutes of questions—so the researchers can assess risk factors for tick exposure.
When people are in the app they can complete daily tick diaries (asking about activities and tick exposure) and can report a tick. Users can even send in an image for identification after the report is completed. For more information on the Tick App, visit http://www.thetickapp.org or tickapp@wisc.edu.
Deep snow during the winter covered the lower branches, protecting them from the drying effects of dry air, wind, and sun throughout the winter, while the top of the tree experienced significant winter desiccation and browning. Photo: Bill Ruff
By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff. Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov; 715-356-5211 x232
Recently, several reports of evergreens turning brown have come in from around the state. Spruce trees seem to be the most commonly reported species, as well as being the most severely impacted. We’re also seeing this on white pine, balsam fir, and white cedar, with some areas more heavily impacted than others. Forest health specialists in northeast, central, and southern Wisconsin have received many reports, with reports being submitted in other areas of the state as well. This appears to be a widespread problem: a recent article from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Health unit outlined the same issue. Continue reading “Browning on spruce and other conifers due to winter drying”
