forest entomology and pathology in the northern region...

Forest Entomology and Pathology in the Northern Region, Getting to Know the

Neighborhood

Curtis Ewing

Forest Health Specialist

California Department Of Forestry and Fire Prevention

6105 Airport Rd., Redding, CA 96002

Overview• Native Alder Trees in Coastal California: Cankers and Bark Beetles

• Balsam Wooley Adelgid: An Invasive Species in California’s “Miracle Mile”

• White Fir Mortality and Epsilon Engraver Scolytus subscaber

• Incense-Cedar Infestation with Scale Xylococculus macrocarpae

• White Fir Mortality and Fir Engraver Scolytus ventralis

Native Alder Trees in Coastal California: Cankers and Bark Beetles

• Pacifica: San Pedro Valley County Park• Reported on Invasive Shot-Hole Borer Web Site

(https://ucanr.edu/sites/pshb/id-mgmt/)

• Tom Smith visited and noted extensive Scolytinae activity on dead/dying red alder trees

• Follow up visit confirmed that Invasive Shot-Hole Borer NOT PRESENT

• Native Species: Alder Bark Beetle (Alniphagus aspericollis)

• Also found associated cankers on boles and branches

HISTORY – Native Alder Trees: Pt. Reyes NS – 2011

• Previous reports of mortality in alder trees• Pt. Reyes in Fall of 2011 – Collected by

Nancy Gillette (USDA now retired)

• Samples from red alder along watercourse, the Muddy Hollow Trail

• Pathologist consensus:• Mortality caused by flooding

• Nancy sent samples to Mike Wingfield (U of Pretoria, South Africa)

• Samples had Ophiostoma (quercus group)

Photos: Steven Koike

Native Alder Trees: San Pedro Valley Park – 2018

• Initial samples 6 Aug 2018• Collected tissue and 2 beetles• Tissue samples sent to CDFA

• Diatrypella nr. pulvinata cultured:• From cankers and galleries

• Is considered a decay fungus

Native Alder Trees – 2018

• Follow up sampling 12 Oct 2018 with Chris Lee (Cal Fire – Humbodlt State)• Visited Pt. Reyes

• Fact finding visit to determine if sampling should be done once permit issued

• Appears similar to San Pedro VP• Mortality in alders above the watercourse

• San Pedro Valley Park• 6 alder bark beetles (Alniphagus aspericollis)• Canker and gallery samples• Cultured at Humboldt State• Beetle walks/smears and tissue samples• Ophiostomoid and Alternaria <–Both Are

PotentialPathogens

Photos: Chris Lee

Sexual

Ophiostomoidfrom beetle gallery

Native Alder Trees – 2018

• Follow up sampling 12 Oct 2018 with Chris Lee (Cal Fire – Humbodlt State)• Visited Pt. Reyes

• Fact finding visit to determine if sampling should be done once permit issued

• Appears similar to San Pedro VP• Mortality in alders above the watercourse

• San Pedro Valley Park• 6 alder bark beetles (Alniphagus aspericollis)• Canker and gallery samples• Cultured at Humboldt State• Beetle walks/smears and tissue samples• Ophiostomoid and Alternaria <–Both Are

PotentialPathogens Photo: Chris Lee

AlternariaFrom Alniphagus aspericollis

Native Alder Trees – Beetle Activity and Cankers

• Alnipaphagus aspericollis• Branches and sapling bole –>

• Attacks at self pruned branch stubs

• Attack healthy tissue

• Cankers develop over time

Native Alder Trees in Coastal California: Cankers and Bark Beetles

• Initial stages of investigation:

• Sampling So Far• Pacifica: San Pedro Valley County Park

• Additional Sampling Sites• Marin County – Pt. Reyes National Seashore

• Permit Issued

• Marin County – Novato• San Mateo County – Pescadero• San Mateo County – Arroyo de los Frijoles Park• South Sacramento – Cosumnes River• East Bay• Also SoCal Reports from:

• San Bernardino County – Mt. Baldy• Los Angeles County – Topanga

Photo: Brice McPherson

Russian Wilderness – Miracle Mile

• Sugar Creek – visited with Cynthia Snyder USFS Entomologist Shasta-Trinity• candidate Research Natural Area



• Richest known assemblage of conifersin the world

• 18 Conifer species in 1 square mile

Russian Wilderness Miracle Mile

foxtail pine

whitebark pine

western white pine

Jeffrey pine

ponderosa pine

lodgepole pine

sugar pine

white fir

Shasta fir

subalpine firEngelmann spruce

Brewer spruce

mountain hemlock

Pacific yew

incense-cedar

common juniper

western juniper (disc 2013)

Douglas-fir

18 Conifer species in 1 square mile



• Richest known assemblage of conifersin the world

• 18 Conifer species in 1 square mile

• Subalpine Fir, Abies lasiocarpa• Threatened with extirpation• Preferred host in Pacific NW – CA

• Is a satellite population and the only one in California


• Subalpine Fir• In California primarily on grand fir (3rd

preferred host)

• North coast

• Also Pacific silver fir (2nd preferred host): OR, WA & satellite CA populations Klamath Mts


• Subalpine Fir• In California primarily on grand fir

• North coast

• Also Pacific Silver Fir OR, WA

• Invasive Species• Balsam Woolly Adelgid

• Adelges piceae


• Subalpine Fir• In California primarily on grand fir

• North coast

• Also Pacific Silver Fir OR, WA

• Invasive Species• Balsam Woolly Adelgid

• Adelges piceae

• Europe —> 1928 nr. SF


• Subalpine Fir

• 2 generations/yr.

• Seem to primarily attack buds at this site

• Cause serial goutiness on branches


• Subalpine Fir


• Seem to primarily attack buds


• Sometimes mass attack boles

• Subalpine Fir


• Seem to primarily attack buds


• Sometimes mass attack boles

• Crown thins and eventually trees die


ε – engraver (Scolytus subscaber) and white fir sapling mortality

• Documented to only attack branches

• Often healthy trees


• Tahoe City• Burton Creek State Park

• Killing large numbers of white fir saplings


• Successfully reproducing

• Numerous exit holes

Incense-Cedar: Pitching and Flagging

• Multiple reports of pitching and flagging in incense-cedar• Tahoe to Lassen County

• Xylococculus macrocarpae• Incense-Cedar Scale• Not always apparent

• Attacks in upper crown• Pitch on lower branches

and bole from above

Scolytus ventralis Fir Engraver

• Causing the greatest amount of conifer mortality in northern forests in 2018

• Some of the damage is 2 or more years old

• Varies over short distances

Thank YouLaphria sp. Robber Fly with Scarab

forest entomology and pathology in the northern region...

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