Nathan Havill
@nphavill.bsky.social
Evolutionary Biologist. Forest Entomologist
Our hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) genome note is out! @bryanbrunet.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/gbe/article/...
academic.oup.com/gbe/article/...
October 22, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Our hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) genome note is out! @bryanbrunet.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/gbe/article/...
academic.oup.com/gbe/article/...
Our article got the cover (!) with this cool photo of the inside of an adelgid gall, taken by Dr. Kaka Tshering.
Lots of new information about adelgids (including on hemlock), their predators, and associated fungi in Bhutan
academic.oup.com/jinsectscien...
@entsocamerica.bsky.social
Lots of new information about adelgids (including on hemlock), their predators, and associated fungi in Bhutan
academic.oup.com/jinsectscien...
@entsocamerica.bsky.social
June 3, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Our article got the cover (!) with this cool photo of the inside of an adelgid gall, taken by Dr. Kaka Tshering.
Lots of new information about adelgids (including on hemlock), their predators, and associated fungi in Bhutan
academic.oup.com/jinsectscien...
@entsocamerica.bsky.social
Lots of new information about adelgids (including on hemlock), their predators, and associated fungi in Bhutan
academic.oup.com/jinsectscien...
@entsocamerica.bsky.social
Leucotaraxis piniperda from WA, released in CT for biological control of hemlock woolly #adelgid. Some papers about the science behind the effort:
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
April 22, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Leucotaraxis piniperda from WA, released in CT for biological control of hemlock woolly #adelgid. Some papers about the science behind the effort:
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/6...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Hemlock woolly adelgid. Still killing trees in Connecticut.
April 18, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Hemlock woolly adelgid. Still killing trees in Connecticut.
Its vestigial legs are present as cuticular protrusions with clusters of setae.
February 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Its vestigial legs are present as cuticular protrusions with clusters of setae.
…but by the second instar, no longer has legs.
February 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
…but by the second instar, no longer has legs.
Like many scale insects, it has a mobile first instant crawler…
February 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Like many scale insects, it has a mobile first instant crawler…
Adelgid of the week. LEGLESS EDITION!! Adelges (Cassiadelges) coccipus, Havill & Brunet, 2025. Collected from larch trees in Bhutan. The first member of Aphidomorpha completely lacking legs!!
www.mapress.com/zt/article/v...
@bryanbrunet.bsky.social @entsocamerica.bsky.social
www.mapress.com/zt/article/v...
@bryanbrunet.bsky.social @entsocamerica.bsky.social
February 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Adelgid of the week. LEGLESS EDITION!! Adelges (Cassiadelges) coccipus, Havill & Brunet, 2025. Collected from larch trees in Bhutan. The first member of Aphidomorpha completely lacking legs!!
www.mapress.com/zt/article/v...
@bryanbrunet.bsky.social @entsocamerica.bsky.social
www.mapress.com/zt/article/v...
@bryanbrunet.bsky.social @entsocamerica.bsky.social
Happy New Year!
[Young adelgid gall, Mt Fuji, June 2004]
[Young adelgid gall, Mt Fuji, June 2004]
January 1, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Happy New Year!
[Young adelgid gall, Mt Fuji, June 2004]
[Young adelgid gall, Mt Fuji, June 2004]
It doesn’t seem likely to become a pest of larches in North America because it was not found to damage the variety of larch species planted in the arboretum. This chance discovery reinforces the great value of botanical gardens for predicting the impact of non-native species.
December 18, 2024 at 1:52 AM
It doesn’t seem likely to become a pest of larches in North America because it was not found to damage the variety of larch species planted in the arboretum. This chance discovery reinforces the great value of botanical gardens for predicting the impact of non-native species.
Adelgid of the week! Adelges (Cholodkovskya) viridanus. Native throughout Eurasia, and thought to be anholocyclic on species of larch. The alates settle on the needles and have characteristically fluffy wax.
December 18, 2024 at 1:52 AM
Adelgid of the week! Adelges (Cholodkovskya) viridanus. Native throughout Eurasia, and thought to be anholocyclic on species of larch. The alates settle on the needles and have characteristically fluffy wax.
Counting hemlock adelgids as I pick them off foliage. I chose the oldest counter in the lab drawer. It makes a very satisfying “clunk” when pushing the button.
December 12, 2024 at 8:07 PM
Counting hemlock adelgids as I pick them off foliage. I chose the oldest counter in the lab drawer. It makes a very satisfying “clunk” when pushing the button.
But the impact of these predators has not been evaluated in recent decades, so we don’t know whether they are resulting in meaningful control. Oh, and for parasitoid enthusiasts, here’s a N. atratula puparium parasitized by a pteromalid.
December 11, 2024 at 3:52 PM
But the impact of these predators has not been evaluated in recent decades, so we don’t know whether they are resulting in meaningful control. Oh, and for parasitoid enthusiasts, here’s a N. atratula puparium parasitized by a pteromalid.
We also see native syrphids, like these Heringia sp.
December 11, 2024 at 3:52 PM
We also see native syrphids, like these Heringia sp.
European Neoleucopis atratula (Chamaemyiidae), released as a biocontrol, is also common.
December 11, 2024 at 3:52 PM
European Neoleucopis atratula (Chamaemyiidae), released as a biocontrol, is also common.
A species of Aphidoletes (Cedidomyiidae) is common. Don’t know if it is native or maybe European A. thompsoni released as a biocontrol.
December 11, 2024 at 3:52 PM
A species of Aphidoletes (Cedidomyiidae) is common. Don’t know if it is native or maybe European A. thompsoni released as a biocontrol.
On both coasts, we find abundant dipteran predators.
December 11, 2024 at 3:52 PM
On both coasts, we find abundant dipteran predators.
Adelgid of the week! Adelges (Dreyfusia) piceae. A.k.a. - balsam woolly adelgid.
December 11, 2024 at 3:52 PM
Adelgid of the week! Adelges (Dreyfusia) piceae. A.k.a. - balsam woolly adelgid.
Lacewings (that lay eggs on long stalks) are common predators.
December 4, 2024 at 11:56 PM
Lacewings (that lay eggs on long stalks) are common predators.
And alternates between Picea and Pseudotsuga where it settles on the needles. An anholocyclic counterpart that doesn’t alternate to Picea has been named A. (G.) coweni, and another that settles only on the needles of Picea has been called A (G.) cummingae.
December 4, 2024 at 11:56 PM
And alternates between Picea and Pseudotsuga where it settles on the needles. An anholocyclic counterpart that doesn’t alternate to Picea has been named A. (G.) coweni, and another that settles only on the needles of Picea has been called A (G.) cummingae.
Forms galls on species of spruce, including Picea engelmannii, P. pungens, P. sitchensis, P. mexicana, and P. chihuahuana.
December 4, 2024 at 11:56 PM
Forms galls on species of spruce, including Picea engelmannii, P. pungens, P. sitchensis, P. mexicana, and P. chihuahuana.
Adelgid of the week! Adelgid (Gilletteella) cooleyi. Native to western North America, from Yukon Territory to Durango. Introduced in eastern North America, Australia, and Europe.
December 4, 2024 at 11:56 PM
Adelgid of the week! Adelgid (Gilletteella) cooleyi. Native to western North America, from Yukon Territory to Durango. Introduced in eastern North America, Australia, and Europe.
Adelgid of the week! Pineus boerneri. Often confused with the look-alike P. pini, both moved around the world on plantation pines where they can be pests. It’s a mystery where P. boerneri originated. Described from California, but deep divergence in Pakistan, China, Japan, and Korea suggests Asia.
November 26, 2024 at 4:54 PM
Adelgid of the week! Pineus boerneri. Often confused with the look-alike P. pini, both moved around the world on plantation pines where they can be pests. It’s a mystery where P. boerneri originated. Described from California, but deep divergence in Pakistan, China, Japan, and Korea suggests Asia.
Adelgid of the Week! Pineus cembrae (Cholodkovsky 1888) includes 2 subspecies. Pineus cembrae cembrae is found from the UK to Western Siberia, and Pineus cembrae pinikoreanus is in northeastern China. This beauty was collected by me in 2005 in Zinal, Switzerland on Pinus cembra.
November 18, 2024 at 4:28 PM
Adelgid of the Week! Pineus cembrae (Cholodkovsky 1888) includes 2 subspecies. Pineus cembrae cembrae is found from the UK to Western Siberia, and Pineus cembrae pinikoreanus is in northeastern China. This beauty was collected by me in 2005 in Zinal, Switzerland on Pinus cembra.