Presque Isle, Maine WAGM spoke with Neil Thompson (UMFK/CFRU) about the rising budworm population in the Saint John Valley. "Christmas tree farmers of course have a very high standard for aesthetics so when the budworm chews the leaves off the tree that can no longer be a sellable Christmas tree because the thing you’re hanging ornaments off of is halfway bare or completely bare." The University of Maine Orono has built a new L2 lab, the first of its kind in the nation. Pheromone traps ... Read More ›
New SBW Testing Lab at UMaine
UMaine announces opening of Dr. Angela Mech's spruce budworm testing lab, supported by the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit. ... Read More ›
SBW on the Comeback
Bangor Daily News coverage of the spruce budworm increase in Maine. ... Read More ›
Maine Forest Service Releases 2020 SBW Report
Background As growing spruce budworm populations continue to fluctuate in Maine, the Maine Forest Service, University of Maine Cooperative Forestry Research Unit (CFRU), and our cooperator network are tracking populations carefully in anticipation of an approaching outbreak. Historical data tells us that Maine is due for another SBW outbreak and monitoring efforts illustrate that over the last several years, SBW populations appear to have risen above endemic levels experienced between outbreak ... Read More ›
Maine L2 survey map released
Analysis of L2 sampling collected in the fall of 2020 is now available on the L2 research map page. ... Read More ›
Maine L2 2021 Update
Neil Thompson, Irving Woodlands Forestry Professor at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, presents a short update on findings from spruce budworm second in-star (L2) research in Maine. Watch the short video here. ... Read More ›
Maine Forest Service Releases 2019 SBW Update
The Maine Forest Service, cooperators within and outside the state, and Canadian provinces are working together to monitor and predict the growth of the spruce budworm population and its potential impact on the region’s forests. For several years now in Maine, both pheromone trap and light trap catches have been above numbers expected. In 2019, statewide overall average trap catches increased more than threefold. In addition, light traps operated statewide witnessed a dramatic increase in ... Read More ›
NB Pheromone Traps Reveals SBW Moth Populations
Update from the automatic pheromone traps in New Brunswick. First moth this year was caught in Saint Modeste (QC) on June 30. Pics are from trap captures for the nights of July 7-8 and 8-9. Catches have been mostly on the NW border of NB and South Tetagouche so far. Potential flights were in the SE direction the night of July 07-08. ... Read More ›
Maine Forest Service Releases 2018 SBW Update
The Maine Forest Service, cooperators within and outside the state, and Canadian provinces are working together to monitor and predict the growth of the spruce budworm population and its potential impact on the region’s forests. Over the last several years, Spruce budworm populations in Maine have left the “stable” phase and appear to be building. Pheromone and light trap catches have been up above zero for a number of years, defoliation in Quebec has increased year after year, defoliation has ... Read More ›