Why Western Conifer Seed Bugs Actually Are Threatening to The NorthEast.

Hey everyone. <br><br>I thought I'd take a moment to explain a few facts about why this bug actually is a threat. I've had multiple people claim that they have done no damage for X number of years and that the media is just sensationalizing it. I'd argue that what's important is not the past, but the future. <br><br>Here's a list of reasons why that is:<br><br>1. **They have no natural predators here:** Back in their natural habitats, these bugs are preyed upon by natural enemies like lady beetles, lacewings, parasitic wasps and spiders. Back in the Northeast, we don't have those same natural predators to keep their numbers in check. With no natural predators, it stands to reason that their numbers could continue growing exponentially.<br><br>2. **They have no natural competitors for food here: **The Western Conifer Seed Bug has many natural competitors for food back in their natural habitats. When they arrived in 1999, the Northeast had plenty of available food for them to eat and no natural competition for that food. For 25 years now, they've had free rein to feed to their hearts' content, growing numbers at an unprecedented rate.<br><br>3. **The initial growth was slow. **Karuna Ramachandran, who is working on her thesis in Forest Entomology at Auburn University, has spent a lot of time studying the WSCB's impact in Vermont. She has found that Western Conifer Seed Bug populations were initially very low ("just a few bugs at a time") and that their numbers have been slowly growing over the past 20 years or so. In fact, it wasn't until around 2023 that they started causing real damage to the public.<br><br>4. **That initial slow growth is how invasive species grow: ** Attacks from invasive species are always preceded by a long, slow buildup. Invasive species almost never start with a bang. It's the long, slow buildup of a population, followed by a sharp increase as their numbers reach a tipping point. For some examples of this, consider the following:<br><br>- Emerald Ash Borer: arrived in the early 2000s, first detected in 2008, killed 300 million Ash trees by 2015 (including all of the Ash on my property).<br><br>- Spotted Lanternfly: First detected in 2014, reported in 188 counties in Pennsylvania by 2020.<br><br>- Japanese Stink Bug: First detected in Allentown, PA in the Fall of 1998. By 2010, they were overrunning the entire NorthEast.<br><br>- Gypsy Moth: First detected in 1869, started causing widespread damage in the 1980s. <br><br>Karuna Ramachandran has told me that it is common for insect populations to grow exponentially over time. She has said that the Western Conifer Seed Bug's population growth is following the same predictable pattern as any invasive insect species. <br><br>5. **If you think they're bad now, imagine the numbers doubled, tripled, or quadrupled: **What if next year, there were double the number of Western Conifer Seed Bugs as there were this year? That's 3.5 million bugs per tree instead of 1.75 million. The year after that, what if those numbers had quadrupled? That would be 7 million WSCB's per tree. The following year, that number could be 14 million. The year after that could be 28 million. To some of you, this might sound far fetched, but we should be preparing for that real possibility. They've already more than doubled every year. And it could be that fast, because it already is growing that fast. <br><br>6. **Some fir stands are already dead: ** We're already getting reports of entire stands of fir trees dying from being drained by the Western Conifer Seed Bugs. For some people, it's already too late. For everyone else, it's time to start taking steps to protect your trees. <br><br>7. **There are steps you can take to protect yourself:** While there isn't yet a foolproof plan to combat an infestation this large, there are steps that you can take to help mitigate the damage. If you believe that you have a large number of Western Conifer Seed Bugs, please consider talking to an attorney, a forester, a tax advisor, or some other qualified professional. <br><br>If you'd like to hire my services as a forester, please give me a shout at (970) 509 - 4505. I'm happy to help in any way that I can. <br><br>If you'd like to hire an attorney, I recommend Joanne Costantino. <br><br>If you'd like to hire a tax advisor, I recommend Dan Helwig.<br><br>I'm sure that there are plenty of other professionals who are also happy to help. And if you'd like recommendations from me or anyone else, please let us know. <br><br>If you have any questions about how to protect yourself, feel free to ask. I'd be happy to help if I can. And if I can't, I'll be sure to send you to someone who can.<br><br>Thanks and best,<br>-Jonathan