Hemlock woolly adelgid quarantine expands

Jordan Travis, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
Updated ·2 min read

Jul. 28—BENZONIA — Benzie County is now part of a quarantine aimed at stopping the spread of the hemlock woolly adelgid.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced the expanded quarantine Friday, which also includes Manistee and part of Washtenaw counties.

That means any hemlock or tiger tail spruce trees and parts like branches, boughs, logs and firewood, can't be moved, according to the order. There are some exceptions — moving lumber, logs and other forest products with all twigs and needles completely removed is OK, for example.

The invasive insect that feeds on hemlock sap and forms white, cottony ovisacs on the underside of branches was found in Benzie County in January at Crystal Downs Country Club, as previously reported. By eating the sap these insects kill and weaken tree branches, causing an infested tree to die over several years.

Systemic pesticides injected into an affected tree's trunk will kill the insects, said {span}Rob Miller, an invasive species and prevention response specialist with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network is making progress treating the infestation at Crystal Downs Country Club.

"Some of our partners are actually treating hemlock trees in Benzie County right now," Miller said.

The quarantine previously included Allegan, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa counties, where hemlock woolly adelgid (say: "a-DELL-jid") had been found before, according to the release.

"The purpose of these quarantines is to minimize the exposure and the potential spread to other places, and its' a team effort, it requires the participation of a variety of folks," said Jennifer Holton, MDARD's communications director.

The state agency can help anyone concerned about the quarantine's effects and how its exemptions apply, she added.

Hemlock woolly adelgid was first found in Michigan in 2006, in nursery-grown hemlock imported from West Virginia and planted in the Harbor Springs area, Holton said. The insect is native to East Asia, according to MDARD.