With the recent news of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) reaching Chautauqua County, Tina and I began our surveys last Friday starting with one of the hemlock stands along the trails here at RTPI. We bundled up and spent a couple hours combing through the hemlock branches we could reach and are happy to report that we didn’t find any HWA within this particular cluster of trees. As the winter continues, we will continue to survey around our trails and will soon join our efforts with JCC students to survey the college’s woodlot as well. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we don’t find it, and will work our hardest to educate others as we complete our work. In the coming weeks we will announce some survey dates in which you, yes you, can join us out in the field to look for this tiny critter that has caused quite an issue throughout the eastern United States. Stay tuned!
Elyse Henshaw
Conservation Technician
