Tens of millions of Kentucky hemlock trees are at risk from a bug just one-sixteenth of an inch in size that literally sucks the life out of the tree by feeding on the starches that are the tree’s food source.
The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, which has no natural predators, has infested trees in nearly a quarter of the state’s 120 counties, mostly in Southeastern Kentucky, but also as far west as Lexington.
“Hemlock trees are vital to the state’s ecosystem,” said Alice Mandt, Kentucky’s Hemlock Woolly Adelgid coordinator. “For example, as an evergreen, the shade they provide regulates the water temperature in streams. That produces higher oxygen levels in the water, allowing certain rare species of fish to exist.”
But the hemlock’s environmental value is only part of the story, says Mandt. “Hemlocks are a major piece of Kentucky’s scenic beauty. Losing them would be a terrible blow to the state’s natural landscape, which is one of the things that attracts tourists to Kentucky.”
Already in a number of the impacted counties there are sizable locations where hemlocks have died or are dying. And the adelgid is spreading across the state, steadily migrating westward.
From KYForward.com: https://www.kyforward.com/2014/04/tiny-bug-sucking-life-out-of-prime-kentucky-hemlock-trees-already-in-30-state-counties/