AUGUSTA, Maine - Over the coming weeks, The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's entomology staff will release more than 10,000 tiny, predator lady beetles in several hemlock woolly adelgid-infested stands in the southern region of the state. The first release of the year will take place on May 29 in Portland's Baxter Woods in cooperation with the City of Portland. This release is part of an integrated management approach in the city park that also includes monitoring by local high school students, chemical management of adelgid on legacy hemlocks and public education. The tiny, black lady beetles, known as Sasajiscymnus tsugae, will be released to fight the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), an invasive insect that attacks hemlock trees.
Governor Paul R. LePage stressed the importance of public involvement in efforts to contain, eradicate and prevent invasive species. "Public awareness of the threats posed by invasive species like the HWA is critical
