As much as we all enjoyed that blast of early spring weather this March, it also heralded in one of Nova Scotia’s less welcomed experiences: ticks. It turns out that the eight-legged crawler is just as much of a fan of temperatures above 4°C as we are.

At first glance, the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) – a tiny, aphid-like insect barely bigger than a millimetre – hardly seems threatening. But Nova Scotia’s old-growth hemlock forests, the meal of choice for this insect, are now under significant threat if nothing is done – and the effects of these forests being wiped out would be catastrophic.  

Dr. Allison Walker (Biology) says "the world needs more mycologists." Read all about the fascinating work that Acadia's fungal dream team is doing, and find out why you should immerse yourself in the world of fantastic fungi!