Eastern hemlock miner? - Oligonychus ununguis

Moved

… Charley Eiseman, 5 March, 2011 - 12:57am

Check for Mites

i. e. spider mites....

You might get a piece of paper, put it under the foliage, bang the foliage around, see if any of the specks move.

What's the background? Has this plant been inside (bonsi)? Have you done any spraying that would make finding mites difficult. If its mites and you sprayed, eggs may still hatch....

… David Moll, 4 March, 2011 - 6:02pm

Spider mites

I couldn't remember whether I'd seen examples of spider mites on conifer needles, but that's a good thought. I would expect mites to be difficult to find in February.
Googling "hemlock mite" brings up this page--looks good to me... I see this damage all the time and hadn't figured out what was causing it.

… Charley Eiseman, 5 March, 2011 - 12:44am

This is part of a branch

of Eastern Hemlock from outside that I cut off a tree in the yard and brought inside to photograph. I already disposed of it, but this spring when it warms up I'll look to see if anything shows up on the tree.

… tom murray, 4 March, 2011 - 6:11pm

I suspect so...

but they look like the work of something feeding externally with sucking mouthparts (a hemipteran) rather than a miner. Do you have a shot of the undersides of the needles?

… Charley Eiseman, 28 February, 2011 - 7:26pm

Underside shot added

It shows some marking, but not as much as the top of the needles.

… tom murray, 28 February, 2011 - 11:07pm