Beetles Helping Buncombe

Have you heard that our Hemlocks are in danger from the "HWA" or Hemlock Woolly Adelgid?   

Some time in the last 15 or so years, the wooly adelgid was unintentionally introduced the the East Coast, and, ever since, the invasive insects have been sucking the life out of the native hemlock species — leaving dry,  skeletonlike silhouettes poking out over an otherwise lush landscape.  These old growth trees could face extinction in as little as 20 years if the adelgid population isn’t drastically reduced.

Chemical defense is a stop gap measure but according to local biologists won’t stop the mass-eradication of hemlocks across the region and that’s where the Lari beetles come in.

Laricobius nigrinus beetles, “Lari” for short, are the natural predators of the wooly adelgid, These beetles are found naturally in the American Pacific Northwest — along with masses of thriving hemlock groves, the two insects coexist while creating a balanced ecosystem.  Believing that such beetles may be “the future” of our local hemlock preservation, the Commissioners approved the urchase of some 5,000 beetles earlier this year.  As recently as November, local volunteers have been working to get these beetles in place.

They agree that while chemical treatment is still an effective method of preserving a single tree,  the only way to loosen the adelgid’s grip on the entire forest is with its natural predator.

Stay tuned -- as we learn more about the work of the Hemlock Restoration Initiative we will share their work and successes with you.