

THE PLANTSMAN 



A» adult pear thrips on a sugfar maple bud. 



E 



EAR 



THRIFTS 



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SUGAR MAPL E: ^^>^ 



Will They Make a Comeback? 



ARTICLE & COVER ILLUSTRATION BY JOHN WEAVER 



THE OUTBREAK OF 1988 In 1988 central New England was hit for the first time with 

 an outbreak of pear thrips. The forests in springtime that year were an eery sight, 

 having massive brown patches of leafless sugar maple trees. By early July most of the 

 defoliated trees had put out a set of secondary leaves and it was as if spring had finally 

 arrived. The worst damage occurred in an area which included southern Vermont, 

 northwestern Massachusetts, and southwestern New Hampshire. In southern Vermont 

 alone, damage included about a half million acres. This explosive appearance of pear 

 thrips on sugar maplewas an unpleasant surprise and led to much concern in the 

 forestry, maple syrup, and tourist industries, was an unpleasant surprise and led to 

 much concern in the forestry, maple syrup, and tourist industries. Continued on page 12. 



April/May 1992 



