The eastern hemlock is an iconic element of our forests – creating habitat wherever it stands tall and keeping our drinking water crisp and clear. An invasive insect called Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) threatens hemlock stands in New York, but you can help by joining scientists, conservationists, and volunteers across the state in monitoring the spread of HWA.
From Feb. 1 – March 15, the New York Natural Heritage Program is hosting the Second Annual HWA Winter Mapping Challenge in partnership with the NYS Hemlock Initiative. Join the challenge to help map HWA along the “leading edge” of its current range and compete to win a prize.
To participate: find some hemlock trees in your area, check for HWA egg masses (look for white fuzz balls on the undersides of twigs), and report findings to NY iMapInvasives. The iMap users who survey the most sites for HWA will win the challenge!
Visit the NY iMapInvasives website at https://www.nyimapinvasives.org/hwa to learn more about the challenge.
