Insect-host relations in ice-damaged northern hardwoods

In January 1998, an ice storm caused severe crown breakage to northern hardwood stands in upstate New York. Trees damaged in this ice storm were hypothesized to be more susceptible to secondary inner bark- and wood-boring insects. Ice damaged stands were intensively sampled in 2000 to evaluate the relationship between ice storm damage and abundance of secondary insect defects to main boles of ice-damaged trees. Fifth acre plots were established in three stands, and all trees greater than eight inches (20 cm) dbh were felled. Insect density was not significantly (α = .05) related to crown damage on study trees. Observations of insect defects on study trees showed that secondary insects were not successfully breeding in ice storm damaged trees unless trees were severely deteriorated from other causes. Secondary insect populations were not high enough to pose a threat to ice-damaged stands in upstate New York within two years of the ice storm in the stands under observation.