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The flat, soft needles of a balsam fir Spruce needles are like a stiff bottle brush I often hear Boreal newcomers mistake balsams an... -
EOSDIS Worldview Sorry folks, I was out of the country for nearly a month and was not able to update ice-out conditions on Red Lake. The l... -
EOSDIS Worldview pic today, May 6. Ice mostly gone Brian was able to fly from the river, over the ice and into open water in the narrows a...
5 comments:
Dan, it could be the balsam fir sawfly and spruce budworm. While these outbreaks can damage stands of forest, they provide an important food source for songbirds.
Mike S
Yeah, there are lots of possibilities. Balsam seem to be more susceptible to pests than other conifers. The least affected, it has always seemed to me is the red pine. Every red pine I have ever planted has just grown and grown and doesn't seem to ever get sick.
Speaking of songbirds, we and our cabin neighbours noticed lots of warblers last summer. At our place they particularly feasted on a couple of white spruce right in front of the dockhouse. The most likely reason is an abundance of insects such as caterpillars.
Dan I did a bit more searching and possibly what you are seeing is the Sirex Woodwasp.
Mike S
Wow! I think you nailed it. So maybe that is what is killing the balsams. I will get better pictures next time. Thanks.
Dan
Biased opinion- I think those may be Phorid flies. They don't die off like fruit flies and feed in wet, rotting gunk including sewers... but they hang out in random places. Are you seeing them in specific areas?
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