United States Department of Agriculture Forest Health Forest Service Alaska Region R10-TP-113 Protection Report February 2003 State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources Forest Insect and Disease Division of Forestry Conditions in Alaska—2002 Alaska Forest Health Specialists Anchorage Forest Health Protection Jerry Boughton, Assistant Director, State & Private Forestry–FHP USDA Forest Service e-mail: [email protected] State and Private Forestry Edward H. Holsten, Entomologist 3301 ‘C’ Street, Suite 202 e-mail: [email protected] Anchorage, AK 99503-3956 Michael Shepard, Ecologist Phone: (907) 743-9455 e-mail: [email protected] FAX (907) 743-9479 Lori Trummer, Pathologist e-mail: [email protected] Kenneth P. Zogas, Biotechnician e-mail: [email protected] Cynthia L. Snyder, Biotechnician e-mail: [email protected] State of Alaska Roger E. Burnside, Program Coordinator, Entomologist Department of Natural Resources e-mail: [email protected] Division of Forestry Central Offi ce 550 W 7th Avenue, Suite 1450 Anchorage, AK 99501-3566 Phone: (907) 269-8460 FAX (907) 269-8902 / 8931 Alaska Cooperative Extension Corlene Rose, Integrated Pest Management 2221 E. Northern Lights, Suite 118 Program Management Coordinator Anchorage, AK 99508 e-mail: [email protected] Phone: (907) 786-6311 Juneau Forest Health Protection Paul E. Hennon, Pathologist USDA Forest Service e-mail: [email protected] State and Private Forestry Mark Schultz, Entomologist 2770 Sherwood Lane, Suite 2A e-mail: [email protected] Juneau, AK 99801 Dustin Wittwer, Aerial Survey/GIS Specialist Phone: (907) 586-8811 e-mail: [email protected] FAX (907) 586-7848 Thomas Heutte, Biotechnician e-mail: [email protected] Forest Insect and Disease Conditions in Alaska—2002 General Technical Report R10-TP-113 February 2003 Compiled by: Dustin Wittwer, Aerial Survey Specialist Contributors: Ken Zogas, Biological Technician Ed Holsten, Entomologist Roger Burnside, AK/DOF Entomologist Mark Schultz, Entomologist Paul Hennon, Pathologist Lori Trummer, Pathologist Michael Shephard, Ecologist Corlene Rose, IPM coordinator USDA Forest Service, Alaska Region State of Alaska State and Private Forestry, Department of Natural Resources Forest Health Protection Division of Forestry Central Offi ce 3301 C Street, Suite 202 550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1450 Anchorage, AK 99503-3956 Anchorage, AK 99501-3566 Table of Contents Conditions in Brief ............................................................................................1 The Role of Disturbance in Ecosystem Management .......................................4 Status of Insects ...............................................................................................7 Bark Beetles .........................................................................................................................................7 Bark Beetles as Agents of Disturbance..................................................................................................................7 Spruce Beetle........................................................................................................................................................8 Bark Beetles in Subalpine Fir ...............................................................................................................................13 Eastern Larch Beetle ............................................................................................................................................14 Engravers .............................................................................................................................................................14 Defoliators .........................................................................................................................................15 Defoliators as Agents of Disturbance .................................................................................................................15 Southeast Alaska Defoliator Plots........................................................................................................................16 Spruce Aphid .....................................................................................................................................................16 Western Black-headed Budworm.......................................................................................................................16 Yellow-headed Spruce Sawfl y...........................................................................................................................17 Hemlock Sawfl y ..................................................................................................................................................18 Larch Sawfl y ........................................................................................................................................................18 Aspen Leaf Blotch Miner.....................................................................................................................................19 Large Aspen Tortrix .............................................................................................................................................19 Birch Leaf Roller...................................................................................................................................................19 Cottonwood Defoliation.....................................................................................................................................20 Willow Leaf Blotch Miner ....................................................................................................................................20 Alder Defoliation ................................................................................................................................................21 Invasive Pests.....................................................................................................................................21 Invasive Insects, diseases and animals ..............................................................................................................22 Amber-marked Birch Leaf Miner .........................................................................................................................22 Alder Woolly Sawfl y ...........................................................................................................................................23 Gypsy Moth.........................................................................................................................................................23 Uglynest Caterpillar .............................................................................................................................................23 European Black Slug: Limacidae.........................................................................................................................24 Leopard Slug: Limacidae ....................................................................................................................................24 Black knot ...........................................................................................................................................................24 Fire blight ............................................................................................................................................................25 Invasive Plant Species .........................................................................................................................................25 Status of Diseases...........................................................................................32 Ecological Roles of Forest Diseases...................................................................................................32 Stem Diseases....................................................................................................................................35 Hemlock Dwarf Mistletoe ...................................................................................................................................35 Spruce Broom Rust..............................................................................................................................................35 Western Gall Rust.................................................................................................................................................36 Heart Rots of Conifers .........................................................................................................................................36 Stem Decay of Hardwoods................................................................................................................................38 Shoot Blights and Cankers ................................................................................................................38 Sirococcus Shoot Blight......................................................................................................................................38 Shoot Blight of Yellow-cedar..............................................................................................................................38 Canker Fungi ........................................................................................................................................................39 Hemlock Canker ..................................................................................................................................................39