Hope for Lake George's Hemlocks: Tiny Silver Flies Join the Fight to Protect the Lake

There's encouraging news for the forests that frame Lake George, New York. State and local conservation partners are reporting real progress in protecting the area's eastern hemlock trees from the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid, and one of the smallest heroes in the story is a tiny insect called the silver fly. This month the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed that silver flies, a natural predator of the destructive pest, have established themselves in upstate New York, offering fresh hope for the Adirondack hemlock stands that help keep Lake George clean and beautiful.

A Conservation Win Takes Root Along Lake George

For several years, the towering eastern hemlocks along the Lake George watershed have faced a serious threat from the hemlock woolly adelgid, an aphid-like insect first detected in the area in 2020. The good news this June is that the long-term, science-based response is starting to pay off.

The DEC, the New York State Hemlock Initiative at Cornell University, and the Lake George Association have been working side by side to slow the pest's spread. Their latest update points to a promising new tool that works with nature rather than against it.

Meet the Silver Fly, a Tiny Ally for the Hemlocks

Silver flies, known to scientists as Leucopis species, feed on the hemlock woolly adelgid and help keep its population in check. Cornell's lab has been raising and releasing these beneficial insects at infested hemlock stands across the state, including sites near Lake George's Paradise Bay.

What makes the recent news so exciting is that the flies appear to be establishing themselves and reproducing in upstate New York on their own. That is exactly what biological control is meant to do: create a lasting, self-sustaining check on an invasive species.

Why Hemlocks Matter to Lake George's Water Quality

Eastern hemlocks are far more than pretty evergreens. Their dense, shady canopies cool nearby streams, stabilize steep shorelines, and filter the runoff that eventually reaches the lake.

Because so much of the Lake George shoreline is forested with hemlock, protecting these trees is directly tied to protecting the lake's famous water clarity. Healthy hemlocks mean cooler, cleaner water, and that is something every visitor and resident can appreciate.

A Coalition Working Together

The effort to save the hemlocks has been a true team effort. The Lake George Association recently contracted a seasonal technician through the Cornell initiative to survey and treat infested trees throughout the watershed.

Alongside the silver fly releases, crews use carefully targeted treatments to protect individual high-value and ecologically sensitive trees. Combining biological control with thoughtful, site-specific care gives the hemlocks their best chance to recover.

What This Means for the Lake's Future

This is the kind of patient, hopeful conservation story that rewards years of effort. While the work is not finished, the establishment of silver flies marks a genuine turning point for the Adirondack hemlocks.

For anyone who loves hiking the shaded trails, paddling the quiet bays, or simply gazing at the green mountainsides around Lake George, this is wonderful news. The forest that makes this place so special is gaining some powerful, and very tiny, reinforcements.

Quick Facts

• The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is an invasive, aphid-like insect first found in the Lake George watershed in 2020.

• Silver flies (Leucopis species) are natural predators of HWA and are now establishing themselves in upstate New York.

• Cornell University's New York State Hemlock Initiative raises and releases the flies as a biological control.

• Releases have taken place near Lake George locations including Paradise Bay.

• Eastern hemlocks shade streams, stabilize shorelines, and help protect Lake George's water quality.

• Key partners include the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Cornell's Hemlock Initiative, and the Lake George Association.

Next time you walk a hemlock-lined trail around the lake, take a moment to appreciate these stately evergreens and the tiny silver flies helping them thrive. Want to get involved? Keep an eye on the Lake George Association and the DEC for volunteer and stewardship opportunities throughout the season. Reporting drawn from the New York State DEC, Cornell's New York State Hemlock Initiative, the Lake George Association, and the Adirondack Explorer.

See you around the lake,

Greetings From Lake George

Cover image generated by AI.