FOREST HEALTH CONDITIONS IN NOVA SCOTIA 2016 Annual Report Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources Fleet and Forest Protection Division Risk Services Section Report FOR 2017-1 Forest Health Conditions in Nova Scotia 2016 Annual Report 3 Forest Health Conditions in Nova Scotia 2016 Annual Report Compiled by: Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources Fleet and Forest Protection Division Risk Services Section Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources PO Box 130 23 Creighton Road Shubenacadie, NS B0N 2H0 Telephone: (902)-758-7226 Fax: (902)-758-3210 http://novascotia.ca/natr/forestprotection/publications.asp Report FOR 2017-1 Forest Health Conditions in Nova Scotia 2016 Annual Report 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Forest Health Staff…..……………………………………………………………………………………7 Risk Services Staff ..................................................................................................................... 7 Regional Services Pest Detection Officers ................................................................................. 7 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... 8 List of Abbreviations and Acronyms Used in this Report ............................................................ 8 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 9 List of Tables ............................................................................................................................11 List of Figures ...........................................................................................................................13 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................15 Status of Forest Pests ...............................................................................................................16 Eastern Blackheaded Budworm - Acleris variana (Fernald) ...................................................16 Pheromone Trap Survey ....................................................................................................16 Overwintering Egg Survey .................................................................................................17 Eastern Spruce Budworm - Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) ..............................................18 Pheromone Trap Survey ....................................................................................................18 Overwintering Larval (L2) Survey .......................................................................................20 Jack Pine Budworm - Choristoneura pinus pinus (Free.) .......................................................21 Pheromone Trap Survey ....................................................................................................21 Overwintering Larval (L2) Survey .......................................................................................22 Hemlock Looper - Lambdina fiscellaria fiscellaria (Gn.) ..........................................................23 Pheromone Trap Survey ....................................................................................................23 Overwintering Egg Survey .................................................................................................24 Balsam Twig Aphid - Mindarus abietinus (Koch) ....................................................................25 Balsam Fir Sawfly - Neodiprion abietis (Harr.) .......................................................................27 Overwintering Egg Survey .................................................................................................27 Forest Health Conditions in Nova Scotia 2016 Annual Report 5 Whitemarked Tussock Moth - Orgyia leucostigma (J.E. Smith) .............................................28 Overwintering Egg Survey .................................................................................................28 Balsam Gall Midge - Paradiplosis tumifex (Gagné) ................................................................30 Invasive Alien Species Present in Nova Scotia .........................................................................31 Balsam Woolly Adelgid - Adelges picea (Ratz.) .....................................................................31 Overwintering Nymph and Damage Surveys ......................................................................32 Permanent Monitoring Plots ...............................................................................................34 Gypsy Moth - Lymantria dispar (L.) ........................................................................................36 Pheromone Trap Survey ....................................................................................................36 Beech Leaf Mining Weevil - Orchestes fagi (L.) .....................................................................39 Invasive Alien Species of Concern Not Yet Detected in Nova Scotia ........................................40 Aerial Surveys ...........................................................................................................................41 Ticks .........................................................................................................................................41 Pest Identification Inquiries .......................................................................................................42 Communications .......................................................................................................................42 Insectary Notes Newsletter ....................................................................................................42 Extension and Outreach ........................................................................................................42 APPENDIX - GLOSSARY .........................................................................................................43 Forest Health Conditions in Nova Scotia 2016 Annual Report 6 Forest Health Staff Jim Rudderham (Operations Supervisor) Justin Smith (Supervisor) Jacqui Gordon Shannon Breen Kris Lambert Robert Davis Mike LeBlanc Risk Services Staff Dustin Oikle (Manager) Tanya Borgal Morgan Oikle Derek Gilby Gina Penny Jeff Ogden Regional Services Pest Detection Officers Eastern Region Central Region Western Region Cameron Gillis Allan Bland Jamie Brown Derek Hart Donald Kiezer Allan White John Kennedy Scott MacEwan William Grover Dolores MacDonald Chris MacIntyre Kim Huskins Jennifer Stephen Amy Marsters Deanna Nauss John Ongo Terry Moore Jennifer Cameron Lloyd Burke Paul King Chelsea Taylor Keith Black (Rob Davis) Forest Health Conditions in Nova Scotia 2016 Annual Report 7 Acknowledgements To assemble, analyze, and present the information contained within this report requires a great deal of effort from many individuals. Without their efforts to gather information and data, this report would not be possible. Thanks to the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (NSDNR) regional staff. Especially the Pest Detection Officers (PDO’s), who are the backbone of many provincial surveys. These surveys would be impossible without their support and that of their Area Supervisors. Appreciation is extended to the staff of the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) for their cooperation. Their research in Nova Scotia as well as the information and expertise they share relating to forest pests and forest conditions continues to be a valuable resource. Thanks are also given to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for their assistance and information exchange during the invasive insect surveys. List of Abbreviations and Acronyms Used in this Report BSLB Brown spruce longhorn beetle CFIA Canadian Food Inspection Agency CFS Canadian Forest Service ha Hectare L2 Overwintering second instar larva NSDNR Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources PDO Pest Detection Officer PRA Pest risk analysis Forest Health Conditions in Nova Scotia 2016 Annual Report 8 Executive Summary This annual report contains information on forest insects and diseases monitored by Forest Health staff and PDO’s for the period up to and including 2016. As well as information concerning our combined efforts to assist in research conducted by the CFS and to monitor invasive pests with the CFIA. Eastern Blackheaded Budworm (Acleris variana): The percentage of positive pheromone traps was 89.5%, down from 100% in 2015. The maximum trap catch was 720 moths, down slightly from 770 in 2015. Overwintering eggs were detected in 76% of the sites surveyed, down from 79% in 2015. Eastern Spruce Budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana): The percentage of positive pheromone traps was 93%, up from 65% in 2015. The maximum trap catch was 113 moths, up from 28 in 2015. Overwintering larvae (L2) were detected in 13% of the sites surveyed; a total of 97 L2’s at 41 sites. Jack Pine Budworm (Choristoneura pinus pinus): There were no captures in the pheromone traps, therefore, no overwintering L2 surveys were conducted. Hemlock Looper (Lambdina fiscellaria fiscellaria): The percentage of positive pheromone traps was 87%, down from 98% in 2015. The maximum trap catch was 216 moths, down from 375 in 2015. Overwintering eggs were detected in 39% of the sites sampled, up from 28% in 2015. Balsam Twig Aphid (Mindarus abietinus) and Balsam Gall Midge (Paradiplosis tumifex): The percentage of sites with balsam twig aphid