Photo Credit: Tom Coleman, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States (CC BY 3.0 US) License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/.
Adelges tsugae
Common Name: hemlock woolly adelgid
Animal Guild: Insect
Class > Order > Family: Insecta > Hemiptera > Adelgidae
Where is the species found?
States & Provinces
AL, CA, CT, DE, GA, ID, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV
Which phenophases should I observe?
Do you see/hear...?
Activity Adults
One or more adults are seen or heard moving about or at rest. For Adelges tsugae, the wingless, "wool"-covered, adult females are settled in one spot on a plant, usually at the base of a needle on the most recent twig growth, and do not move. Also include "wool"-covered instars as they are difficult to distinguish from adults.
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For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Feeding
One or more individuals are seen feeding. If possible, record the name of the species or substance being eaten or describe it in the comments field. For Adelges tsugae, any live individual that is settled in one spot on a plant can be assumed to be feeding on that plant.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Reproduction Eggs
One or more eggs are seen. For Adelges tsugae, the small, brownish-orange eggs are present when the white, woolly sac around an adult female appears puffy, generally starting in early spring, and can be seen by gently scraping the "wool" aside.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Development Crawlers
One or more crawlers are seen moving about or at rest. For Adelges tsugae, these first-instar nymphs are reddish-brown in color and move around before settling in one spot on a plant.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Dormant nymphs
One or more nymphs are seen in a dormant state. For Adelges tsugae, nymphs settle in one spot, usually at the base of a needle, turn black in color with a small halo of white "wool", and enter dormancy (aestivation) between midsummer and fall.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Post-dormant nymphs
One or more nymphs have come out of their dormant state. For Adelges tsugae, the post-dormant nymphs are still settled in one spot, but are increasing in size and wooliness, and changing color from black to grey. Do not include individuals that have molted and shed their exoskeleton, often appearing as if another adelgid is riding on top of them. These individuals are "wool"-covered instars that can be considered "Active adults".

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Dead adults
One or more dead adults are seen. For Adelges tsugae, dead adults can be difficult to distinguish from live ones and may remain on the plant for long periods. They are still encased in "wool", but are more easily scraped off their substrate than live adults.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
Method Individuals in a trap
One or more individuals are seen caught in a trap.

For abundance, enter the number of individual animals observed in this phenophase.
What do these phenophases look like?

The following Phenophase Photo Guides for this species have been vetted for accuracy by the USA-NPN National Coordinating Office. Most photo guides are developed for a particular local or regional monitoring effort, and some of the content may not apply to your effort or your region. However, we make them available to provide as much help as they may in illustrating phenophases for this species. If you have high quality phenophase photos that you are willing to share with us, please visit the Phenophase Photo Guidelines page.

Be aware there is variation from individual to individual within a species, especially across different regions, so your plant may not look exactly like the one pictured.

Since they do not always include complete definitions for the species, use these photo guides ONLY in conjunction with the official Nature's Notebook phenophase defintions included in the table above, in the phenophase definition sheet that downloads with the datasheet, or in the Observe screen in the mobile app.