Linville Falls. The evergreens are about 50% hemlocks, which are threatened with complete mortality from an annoying little insect, the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid. Can you imagine how the view would be ruined with 50% of these trees dead? That's not to begin to mention the trees' ecological significance. Their fate seems to rest with the PT beetle, which preys on the Adelgid and could reduce the infestation enough to prevent tree mortality. What is needed is more money to open new laboratories to raise and release more beetles.
