National 4-H Forestry Invitational

Pennsylvania Competes at National 4-H Forestry Invitational

Pennsylvania was among the 14 state teams that participated in the 30th annual National 4-H Forestry Invitational from Sunday, July 26, through Thursday, July 30.

At the Invitational 4-H members compete for overall team and individual awards in several categories. Events included a forestry written exam, tree identification, tree measurement, compass and pacing, insect and disease identification, topographic map use, the forestry bowl and forest evaluation.

The invitational was held at West Virginia University Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Camp and Conference Center near Weston, West Virginia. The Farm Credit System and the Cooperative Extension Service sponsored the event.

Pennsylvania was represented by Sara Beatty of Home, Jacob Beisel of Clymer, and Caleb McGaughran of Blairsville. The team was coached by Deborah Beisel and Ashley Early.

Forrest Ford of Alabama received the high-point individual award. Second place high individual award was given to Amelia DeWitt of Alabama and third place high individual award was given to Amber Jenkins of Georgia. Alabama was the overall team winner at this years event.

The Joe Yeager leadership award was given to Wilson Pierce of Georgia. This award is presented to the individual who demonstrated excellent communication, management, decision-making and interpersonal skills at the Invitational.

Forest Tent Caterpillar in the Future?

From my observations and from information received from Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, Forest Pest Specialists, the population of Forest Tent Caterpillar (FTC) appears to be on the rise in parts of the northern tier of Pennsylvania. These caterpillars are native insects that periodically reach high populations. They can defoliate an entire tree in a very short period of time. They are particularly fond of maple and aspen. They will also feed on a wide variety of other hardwood species. The eggs hatch in the spring about the time of leaf expansion. They tend to hang together in colonies and congregate during rest periods. They do not spin the large tents as do their relatives, the Eastern Tent Caterpillar. Five to six weeks after hatching they spin whitish-colored cocoons in bark crevices or rolled leaves. They emerge as buff-colored moths in about ten days. They mate and then the female lays eggs. The egg masses are dark and generally encircle a twig. The eggs overwinter and hatch again in the spring.

A very important parasite of this caterpillar is a large, gray fly. The populations of this fly can be very large during forest tent caterpillar outbreaks. They do not bite or sting people but they can be very annoying since they do like to land on people and regurgitate on buildings and hung-out laundry. The good thing about these flies is that they are a major factor in the natural control of FTC.

At this point in the life cycle of forest tent caterpillar, the adult females are laying or have already laid their eggs. It probably wouldn’t hurt to check out your trees, if you had some forest tent caterpillar, and look for egg masses in a few weeks. This can give you an idea if you may be dealing with this insect next spring. For more information go the Bradford County Extension website, click on the natural resources link and then the forestry resources link. Scroll down to the photo of the forest tent caterpillar and click there.

Emerald Ash Borer in Westmoreland County

We probably all knew that something like this was coming this summer as the PA Dept. of Agriculture, DCNR Bureau of Forestry and others begin their survey for EAB. Read the News Release from the Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture for more information. Also, you can read my previous blog about the monitoring program in Pennsylvania.

EMERALD ASH BORER FOUND IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY; QUARANTINE IMPOSED

Campers Statewide are Urged to Stop Transporting Firewood

HARRISBURG – Emerald Ash Borer beetles have been found in Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, bringing to seven the number of counties where the ash tree-destroying pest has been identified, Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff announced today.

The invasive beetle was first detected in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2007 in Butler County, and subsequently was found in Allegheny, Beaver, Lawrence, Mercer and Mifflin counties. To help slow the spread of the beetle, the state-imposed quarantine for those six counties is being expanded to include Westmoreland County.

State and federal Emerald Ash Borer quarantines restrict the movement from the quarantine area of ash nursery stock, green lumber and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, roots and branches, and all wood chips.

This summer, 20 crews – 15 in Western Pennsylvania, one in Mifflin County, and four in the eastern part of the state – and two regional coordinators have been deployed to assess the spread of the beetle. The Westmoreland County crew detected the new infestation.

“Our survey crews are assessing the extent of the infestation in Westmoreland County and surrounding areas,” said Wolff. “We remind consumers to heed the quarantine when traveling and camping this spring and summer—not just in the quarantined areas but throughout Pennsylvania—to prevent any further spread of the beetle.”

Due to the difficulty in distinguishing between species of hardwood firewood, all hardwood firewood—including ash, oak, maple and hickory—are considered quarantined. Since many species of wood-boring insects, including the Emerald Ash Borer, can be spread by transporting infested firewood and logs, campers and homeowners are encouraged to use only locally harvested firewood, burn all of the firewood on-site, and not carry it to new locations.

Emerald Ash Borer is a wood-boring beetle native to China and eastern Asia. The pest likely arrived in North America hidden in wood packing materials commonly used to ship consumer and other goods. It was first detected in July 2002 in southeastern Michigan and neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The beetle has since been blamed for the death and decline of more than 20 million ash trees in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia and Illinois.

Typically, the beetles will kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation. Adults are dark green, one-half inch in length and one-eighth inch wide, and fly only from early May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees. When they emerge as adults, they leave D-shaped holes in the bark about one-eighth inch wide.

There is no known practical control for this wood-boring pest other than destroying infested trees.
People who suspect they have seen Emerald Ash Borer should call the department’s toll-free pest hotline at 1-866-253-7189. For more information about the quarantine, contact Walt Blosser at 717-772-5205, and for more information about Emerald Ash Borer, contact Sven-Erik Spichiger at 717-772-5229.
Information is also available at www.agriculture.state.pa.us/emeraldashborer.

Emerald Ash Borer Alert

Emerald ash borer will be emerging from infested ash trees very soon. It is time to be alert to this insect. As the adults emerge they leave a D-shaped exit hole in the bark of an infested ash. The adults will feed some on ash leaves, mate, females will lay eggs. When the eggs hatch the larvae will chew through the bark into the cambium layer where it will feed. It will then pupate in the inner bark in the fall and over winter in that stage. In late May to mid-June the adults will emerge head first through the D-shaped hole they have chewed.

To help monitor or detect the presence of emerald ash borer the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry will again be putting up purple “traps” in selected areas. You may have seen some of these traps already. The adult beetles are attracted to the trap and when they land they are stuck on the sticky substance that is on the surface of the trap. Crews will periodically inspect these traps for adult beetles. The traps will not attract emerald ash borer into the area, it will only attract beetles that may already be present. These traps will only work if they are not disturbed so we encourage you not to touch, move or disturb them in any way. Also, be on the alert for adult beetles or D-shaped exit holes in ash trees. Other symptoms include: dieback in the top of the tree (similar to ash yellows and ash decline), heavy sprouting from the lower portions of the tree, heavy woodpecker activity and splitting of bark. If you see any of these or other symptoms (visit the Bradford County Extension website and click on the emerald ash borer picture to go to an excellent web site about the borer for more info and symptoms) call your county Penn State Cooperative Extension office, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture office or Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry office. If you believe you have an emerald ash borer please take it to one of the offices listed above. MAKE SURE IT IS DEAD DO NOT TRANSPORT LIVE BEETLES. Put it in a bottle of alcohol for transport. You can get me at 570.265.2896 or rsh7@psu.edu if you have questions or think you have emerald ash borer.

In addition to the pest being found in Mifflin County, PA, it is still spreading in the Midwest. It was discovered in St. Paul, MN in May. Fifty-nine trees were removed in St. Paul and the quarantine was expanded to two counties in Minnesota.

Eastern Tent Caterpillars Expected

The pesky eastern tent caterpillars will soon be hatching (in some places they may have hatched already). These caterpillars are most fond of cherry and flowering crabs. They can defoliate an entire small tree. They build large, ugly tents in branch crotches were they will hang out during the evening hours. When they first hatch out they are very small, indistinct caterpillars. They will immediately begin feeding on the newly emerging leaves. They are most susceptible to chemical control methods when they are small. The larger they get, the fewer the control options. You should never burn out the tents. Burning can cause damage to the cambium layer in the are burned. This can actually be more damaging to the tree than the caterpillars feeding on the leaves. The photo here you can see "mature" caterpillars in a large tent. For more information on eastern tent caterpillar go to Bradford County Extension Natural Resources Website, Click on the Forestry Resources link and and then scroll to the photo of eastern tents. Click on the photo and you will be taken to a helpful publication. You can also listen to a podcast about eastern tent caterpillars. At the natural resources website, click on the podcast, Northeast Pennsylvania Forests. Then click on the Eastern Tent Caterpillars title. For more specific control information call the Penn State Extension office nearest you.

Emerald Ash Borer in Mifflin County

Folks,

Disturbing news. Emerald ash borer has been discovered in Mifflin County. To quote Don Eggen, Forest health manager for the DCNR Bureau of Forestry “Emerald ash borer has been discovered in Central Pennsylvania in Mifflin County. The infestation has most likely been there for several years. We will be coordinating our DCNR efforts with the PA Emerald Ash Borer Task Force. The infestation was reported by a landowner who sent digital photos to our Pennsylvania badbug@state.pa.us email address. The infestation was confirmed after a site visit by PA Dept. of Ag and DCNR Div. of Forest Pest Management staff last week. I think this highlights the importance of public outreach and education”

Greg Hoover of the Dept. of Entomology, College of Ag Sciences reports, “I’ve been told that an EAB Extension training session conducted for master gardeners in Mifflin County resulted in one of the master gardeners in attendance placing the EAB information at the training session on their blog. A Mifflin County resident saw the EAB information on this master gardener’s blog and then contacted authorities. I think this indeed highlights the importance of Penn State Cooperative Extension, public outreach and education.”

You folks are on the front line in not only this effort with EAB but others as well. Don’t hesitate to contact your local DCNR Bureau of Forestry office, Regional Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture office, or County Extension office if you suspect you have seen this critter, D-shaped exit holes or other suspicious characteristics. You may also send photos to the above email. I would just as soon make a trip to look at a suspicious tree that turned out not to be EAB than to have you not call me. I know the DCNR and other Extension folks feel the same way! Please keep a look out, especially for "D" shaped exit holes. For more information visit the Bradford County Extension website and scroll down to the photo of the emerald ash borer, clicking on that photo will take you to an "EAB" informational site. Mifflin County has been added to the quarantine list along with Mercer, Beaver, Lawrence, Butler and Allegheny Counties.

Endless Mtns. Maple Syrup Weekend

The Endless Mountains Maple Syrup Producers Maple Weekend will be Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22 from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Visitors to participating maple producers' sugar houses will be made especially welcome. Please plan on participating. For an informational brochure visit the Bradford County Extension Website, go to the natural resources page and then the forestry page and scroll to you find the maple weekend link.

Participating maple syrup producers include:
Endless Mountains Cabin Maple Syrup, Rome,PA
Seldom Seen Farm, Rome, PA
White Barn Farm, Rome, PA
Wriseley Land Maple, Burlington, PA
Dewy Meadows Maple, Warren Center, PA
Bradley - Mann Maple, Gillett, PA
Cabot Hollow Maple, Columbia Cross Roads, PA
Roloson Bros. Maple, Troy, PA
Richard Tice Maple, Troy, PA
Browns Syrup Shack, Rome, PA
Marty's Maple, East Smithfield, PA
Loch's Maple, Springville, PA

The Northwest Maple Association has their weekend March 14 and 15 and the Potter-Tioga Association weekend is March 28 and 29.