Alder (Alnus incana tenuifolia) mortality agent complex effects on riparian zone habitat

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Distribution of alder dieback mapped during 2011 Aerial Detection Survey.

Distribution of alder dieback mapped during 2011 Aerial Detection Survey.

The report including this chapter was published in May 2015.

Citation:
Kruse J.J., L. Winton, N. Lisuzzo, G. Adams, K. Zogas, and S. Swenson. 2015. Alder (Alnus incana tenuifolia) mortality agent complex effects on riparian zone habitat. pp. 187-195 in Potter, K. M. and B.L. Conkling, eds. Forest health monitoring: national status, trends, and analysis 2013. General Technical Report SRS-207. U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Asheville North Carolina. http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/48361

Large Aspen Tortrix Activity in the Fairbank’s Area

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A large stand of defoliated aspen visible from across the valley.

A large stand of defoliated aspen visible from across the valley.

In the last two weeks there have been numerous reports of aspen defoliation in the Goldstream Valley on the north side of Fairbanks.  An area approximately 50 acres in size has been heavily defoliated by the caterpillar, large aspen tortrix (Choristoneura conflictana (Walker)). Brief, intense outbreaks are common throughout the range of aspen, and typically last 2-3 years before collapsing.  These outbreaks can grow to cover thousands of acres.  The larvae tie together leaves with webbing and feed on the plant tissue.  They will web other species of plants and feed on them if they run out of available aspen foliage.  Although the forest can look very grim, leafless and covered in webbing, the trees will often create a second flush of leaves later in the summer. Historically there has been little long-term damage to the aspen trees associated with past outbreaks.

 

The aspen were completely defoliated shortly after bud break by the large aspen tortrix.

The aspen were completely defoliated shortly after bud break by the large aspen tortrix.

With few aspen leaves left to feed on, the larvae have been descending from the canopy and webbing understory vegetation to feed upon, including spruce, alder, birch, and roses.

With few aspen leaves left to feed on, the larvae have been descending from the canopy and webbing understory vegetation to feed upon, including spruce, alder, birch, and roses.

First New World Record of Paradelphacodes paludosus (Flor 1861) (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea : Delphacidae) in Alaska

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UAM:Ento:164292, lateral view

UAM:Ento:164292, lateral view. Media details: http://arctos.database.museum/media/10430146

The article appeared in this month’s issue of Entomological News, available at the URI below.

http://dx.doi.org/10.3157/021.124.0511

Citation:
Charles R. Bartlett, Stephen W. Wilson, Derek S. Sikes. 2015. First New World Record of Paradelphacodes paludosus (Flor 1861) (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea : Delphacidae) in Alaska. Entomological News 124(5):370-372.

Specimen record:
http://arctos.database.museum/guid/UAM:Ento:164292

2015 AKES Newsletter posted

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The March 2015 Newsletter of the Alaska Entomological Society is now available at the URI below.

http://www.akentsoc.org/doc/AKES_newsletter_2015_I.pdf

Cover of AKES Newsletter 2015, issue IIn this issue:

  • First record of a cluster fly (Calliphoridae: Pollenia) in Alaska
  • What is a specimen? What should we count and report when managing an entomology collection?
  • Moths land on Murkowski’s desk—Senate Resolution 70
  • Two new Lepidoptera host plant relationships
  • The DNA barcoding UAMU Project: Testing the insect identification power of DNA barcoding technology
  • Review of the eighth annual meeting

Forest Health Conditions in Alaska- 2014

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The annual forest health conditions report provided by Forest Service R10, Alaska Region is available online (see link to pdf below). The conditions report contains, but is not limited to, information pertaining to forest insects in the state.

“The primary goal of this report is to summarize monitoring data collected annually by our Forest Health Protection team. The report helps to fulfill a congressional mandate (The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978, as amended) that requires survey, monitoring, and annual reporting of the health of the forests. This report also provides information used in the annual Forest Insect and Disease Conditions in the United States report.”

 

Forest Health Conditions in Alaska-2014

Forest Health Conditions in Alaska-2014

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3830191.pdf

Presentations and poster from the 8th annual meeting

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Presentations from the 8th annual meeting are available via the links below.

We’re getting there: a first look at (cheap!) next-generation barcoding of bulked arthropod samples
Matt Bowser, USFWS Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

Evaluation of Lure and Trap Design to Survey for Longhorned Beetles in Southeast Alaska
Elizabeth Graham and AM Ray, USDA Forest Service.

Patterns of terrestrial insect diversity on the Seward Peninsula and notes on an Elenchus sp. (Strepsiptera: Elenchidae) host interaction
Molly McDermott, UAF, IAB.

Alaska Lepidoptera Club
Kathryn Daly, UAM.

A preliminary phylogeny of the rove beetle genus Phlaeopterus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae)
Logan Mullen, UAF, UAM.

Hymenoptera assemblages in aspen-dominated and black spruce-dominated post-fire successional trajectories in boreal black spruce forest of interior Alaska
Alexandria Wennigner, UAF, UAM.

Analysis Challenges in Citizen Science Data
Greg Breed UAF, IAB.

Nicrophorus vespilloides (Coleoptera: Silphidae): One species or two?
Derek Sikes, UAF, UAM.

Microarthropod abundance and community structure across a boreal forest riparian chronosequence in Interior Alaska
Robin Andrews and Roger Ruess, UAF, IAB.