The small brown blotches on the underside of these needles are an invasive species found on some holiday decorations purchased from chain stores in 2018. Help prevent the spread of elongate hemlock scale by properly disposing of wreaths, swags and other potentially infested materials. (Photo credit: WI Dept. of Ag, Trade & Consumer Protection)

Please remember to properly dispose of wreaths, trees and other holiday decorations from chain stores that may be infested with an invasive insect.

If you purchased any holiday wreaths, swags, boughs and other arrangements from chain stores, please dispose of them by burning or bagging them and putting them in the trash as they may be infested with an aggressive invasive insect that can harm Wisconsin’s native forests, Christmas tree farms, and even ornamental conifers in your yard.

During this recent holiday season, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) inspectors found an invasive insect pest from Asia called elongate hemlock scale (EHS) on holiday wreaths, swags and boughs, and in arrangements of evergreen boughs in hanging baskets, porch pots, mugs and sleighs.

These items came from suppliers in states where EHS is already established. This insect poses a risk to Christmas tree fields as well as native and ornamental coniferous trees in Wisconsin. To prevent the introduction of EHS to Wisconsin, DATCP officials are asking those who purchased the listed decorative items from chain stores in 2018 to properly dispose of them.

By Mike Hillstrom, forest health specialist, Fitchburg. Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov; 608-513-7690

The Wisconsin DNR’s forest health team received funding to trap for non-native beetles in 2018. This project was funded by the US Forest Service through an Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) grant. The project is complete, and we happily share that we did not find any non-native beetles!

Forest health staff member Scott Schumacher hangs a Lindgren funnel trap to survey for non-native beetles.

The Forest Service periodically provides funding to states to trap for non-native bark and ambrosia beetles. The goal of trapping is to detect, delimit and monitor newly introduced exotic beetles and to quickly assess and respond to newly detected infestations.

We placed traps at 12 high-risk sites in Jefferson, Waukesha, Milwaukee, Racine, Manitowoc, and Brown counties. Sites were selected in collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and were based on proximity to large commercial port entries on Lake Michigan or recycling facilities for pallets and other waste packaging. Three Lindgren funnel traps (12 funnels stacked to look like a tree trunk) and lures were assembled at each site and checked every two weeks between early May and early August. Specimens collected from the traps were sent to a Forest Service taxonomist for identification.