A small aphid-like insect from Japan, the woolly adelgid can kill mature hemlocks and can become a serious problem around Lake Sagamore and, more generally, in the Northeast. Make sure that you inspect your trees (those infected will have brittle, dark leaves covered with white wool on the underside). To prevent the loss of the hemlock (and the risk of infecting other trees), residents are encouraged to seek a tree professional, who will advise spraying the trees or suggest some alternative means of pest control including stem or soil injection. In addition, feeding the trees can help them survive an attack. Applications of horticultural oils or approved short-term pesticides are usually twice a year in the spring and fall. For more information, see the USDA Forest Service fact sheet at http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/hwa/.