Week of December 8, 2008

More Than One Zebra Mussel Now in the Chesapeake Region

December 09, 2008 -- More zebra mussels have been found in the Maryland portion of the Susquehanna River, state environmental officials confirmed this morning.The alien mussels, which can cause millions of dollars in damage to water supply and hydroelectric intake pipes and upset the local ecology, were attached to a boat at Glen Cove Marina in Harford County. Earlier this month, a single mussel was discovered within the intake hydroelectric station at Conowingo Dam, which spans the Susquehanna between Harford and Cecil counties. Link

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Beetles to fight hemlock pests in Kennebunkport

Seacoastonline.com

KENNEBUNKPORT — As Mainers settle into their winter routines, hemlock woolly adelgids, invasive insects that destroy hemlocks, are gearing up for their winter feast in the southern part of the state, and Maine Forest Service staff are planning for a busy survey season.

Surveys conducted earlier this month by the Maine Forest Service show that the adelgids have infested Kennebunkport and surrounding areas. Local residents are being asked to examine their trees for signs of the insects, and to report their findings to the forest service.

"The people of Maine are extremely important partners in looking for the hemlock woolly adelgid," said Allison Kanoti, a forest entomologist with the Forest Service. "Even with full staffing we can only look at a small fraction of hemlocks at risk of adelgid infestation in the state."

"State budget constraints have forced staff cuts," she said. "Now more than ever we need help from Maine citizens."

Next week, Forest Service staff will release about 500 of a species of beetle that eats adelgids. It is hoped that the beetles will gain a foothold in the area and help limit the damage caused by invasive adelgids. Link

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