WISCONSIN (NBC 26) -- The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is telling people who bought evergreen trees and wreaths this holiday season to check for an invasive pest that requires the tree to be burned.
They say this invasive pest is called elongate hemlock scale (EHS) which attacks over 40 kinds of evergreen species including hemlock, fir, and spruce. It damages trees by feeding off the tree's nutrients and weakening them, making them susceptible to other pests and diseases.
Plant health inspectors found EHS at multiple Wisconsin retailers who imported and sold the evergreens from other states.
“You can leave decorations up for the holidays, but we want to make sure consumers are disposing of infested evergreens properly to prevent this pest from establishing itself in Wisconsin,” said Brian Kuhn, Director of DATCP’s Bureau of Plant Industry. “If you know your evergreen did not come from Wisconsin, or it is showing signs of EHS, make sure you dispose of it properly.”
To find out if your tree has EHS, DATCP says to look at the underside of the branches for brown spots they've described as 'scales'. Other signs include yellowing of needles on the interior lower branches and premature needle dropping in more severe infestation cases.
DATCP says the preferred method is to burn an EHS-infested evergreen to kill the pest. If you're unsure on burning restrictions in your area, CLICK HERE to see the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource's website for information.
Another method is to bag your evergreen tree or wreath separately and put them in the trash. DATCP stresses to not compost or place an infested evergreen in a forest as this causes further spreading of EHS.
For more information on EHS and its impact in Wisconsin, CLICK HERE.
