By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, bill.mcnee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) cautions hunters to avoid placing deer stands in or near ash trees this deer season as they start scouting properties.
It is important to place and maintain tree stands carefully as you prepare for this upcoming hunting season. Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
By: Abigail Krause, DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator
As more detections of emerald ash borer (EAB) are confirmed in Wisconsin’s northern counties, many communities are just starting to address the management consequences that others having been dealing with for more than a decade. Members of the communities in which you live and work may vaguely know of you as “that one person that knows things about trees.” As such you may get asked: are there any cost-share funds or programs out there to help communities deal with EAB?
The answer is yes! Urban Forestry’s grants can be utilized for EAB related projects. Extra great news: urban forestry regular and startup grants are accepting applications until Monday, Oct. 3.
Continue reading “Grant Funds Available For Community EAB Management”
By: Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh
bill.mcnee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942
Three spongy moth egg masses on a branch in Walworth County. Photo Credit: Bill McNee, Wisconsin DNR
Now that spongy moth* (formerly known as gypsy moth) egg laying is complete for 2022, it’s a good time to look for and dispose of egg masses produced by adult moths over the past two months.
Spongy moth egg masses are tan-colored lumps about the size of a nickel or quarter, and are found on trees, buildings and other outdoor objects. They may also be found in protected places such as firewood piles and birdhouses. Newly produced egg masses will feel firm and appear darker in color than older egg masses, which appear faded, feel spongy and do not contain viable eggs. The current-year egg masses will not hatch until next spring.
In 2022, Wisconsin’s spongy moth population grew for a third consecutive summer due to favorable weather conditions and limited caterpillar mortality from diseases. The outbreak was most dramatic in opposite ends of the state. In southern and southeast Wisconsin, several thousand oak-dominated acres were heavily defoliated and very large numbers of property owner reports were received by DNR staff. In Bayfield County, about 80,000 acres of rural defoliation was reported from aspen-dominated forests. Smaller patches of defoliation were also reported from several other counties. Continue reading “Look For Spongy Moth Egg Masses – Larger Outbreak Possible in 2023”
By Paul Cigan, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Hayward, paul.cigan@wisconsin.gov or 715-416-4920
Red oak trees in many areas of northern Wisconsin are aptly fitting their name as many crowns exhibit a red hue this summer.
Red oaks are producing a second flush of leaves following oak leafroller defoliation in spring, resulting in trees with red-looking crowns. Photo: Wisconsin DNR
Widespread defoliation by oak leafrollers in May and June has led many oaks to generate a second set of leaves after being stripped. New expanding leaves often display a prominent red color that gives the tree crown a stark reddish appearance from afar.
By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff
Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665
Wisconsin has a few leaf-eating caterpillar species that are out early in the spring. Forest tent caterpillars, eastern tent caterpillars and spongy moth caterpillars cause varying levels of tree damage and are often mistaken for one another.
Forest tent caterpillars congregating on the trunk of a tree. Photo: Wisconsin DNR
Continue reading “Hairy Spring Caterpillars – Which One Do You Have?”
By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff
Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665.
Introduced basswood thrips are tiny, invasive insects that feed inside tree buds in early spring. Leaves are then deformed when they expand and can look like frost or wind has damaged them.
An adult introduced basswood thrips on the underside of an emerging basswood leaf. This photo is enlarged under a microscope. To the naked eye, they appear as tiny black specks on the underside of the leaf. Photo: Wisconsin DNR
Continue reading “Basswood Thrips: Tiny Terrors Of Basswood Leaves”
By Brenna DeNamur, DNR Forest Health Outreach Specialist, Madison, Brenna.DeNamur@wisconsin.gov
The Forest Health Team has made many changes since the spongy moth’s* (formerly known as gypsy moth) new name debut in March. Earlier this month, we launched the new and improved Spongy Moth Portal!
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension recently updated three emerald ash borer (EAB) management factsheets:
Additional EAB resources from the Extension are available here.
To learn more about best practices for managing EAB in your community, check out the DNR’s Emerald Ash Borer Community Toolbox and Forest Health Emerald Ash Borer webpage.
By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff, Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov, 920-360-0665 & Paul Cigan, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Hayward, Paul.Cigan@wisconsin.gov, 715-416-4920
Emerald ash borer (EAB) has been detected for the first time in Forest County in the Town of Armstrong Creek and Ashland County in the City of Ashland. The Forest County detection was most likely a natural expansion of other infestations in Florence and Marinette counties.
This Forest County tree was infested with EAB top to bottom. Photo: Wisconsin DNR
The Ashland County detections appear to be isolated infestations likely spread through the transportation of firewood or logs. Several large green ash stands in the City of Ashland show advanced infestation signs.
EAB was first found in Wisconsin in 2008. There are now just seven counties where EAB has not yet been identified. EAB was federally deregulated as of January 2021. In 2018, Wisconsin instituted a state-wide quarantine. This discovery in Forest and Ashland counties will result in no regulatory changes.
Please visit the interactive Wisconsin EAB detections map to see where EAB has been reported. Follow the map’s instructions if you know of an infested area not on the map. Continue reading “EAB Identified For The First Time In Forest And Ashland County”
USDA staff cut a ‘bark window’ in green ash to uncover signs of emerald ash borer.
Emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive insect from Asia first introduced into the United States in 2002. Since its discovery, EAB has caused tens of millions of ash trees to die and decline. Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) uses ash trees against the pest to help preserve and protect the tree species. They are asking Wisconsin landowners for their help.
Wisconsin landowners have donated live, infested ash trees to USDA’s EAB biological control program. The staff will then use the wood to cultivate EAB’s natural enemies and release them in Wisconsin and 28 other EAB-infested states. The biocontrol staff will need more ash trees to continue producing and releasing these stingless wasps that attack and kill EAB and are hoping more Wisconsin residents will consider donating their ash trees this year.
Continue reading “USDA Biological Control Facility Seeks Ash Trees To Battle Emerald Ash Borer”
