Hoptree Borer

Species information

The following is a report on progress made towards the protection and recovery of Hoptree Borer (Prays atomocella) in Ontario from 2007 to 2023, based on Ontario’s species-specific recovery policy. This report meets the legislative requirement for a review of progress under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA or “the Act”). Hoptree Borer is listed as endangered on the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List under the ESA.

Hoptree Borer was listed as an endangered species under the ESA on June 2, 2017.

The species-specific recovery policy for Hoptree Borer, known as the government response statement (GRS) was published in 2019 and includes the government’s recovery goal for the species and the actions and priorities it intends to lead or support to help achieve that goal. The GRS considers science advice provided in the recovery strategy (published in 2018), regarding things such as the species biology, habitat needs, threats to survival, knowledge gaps and approaches to recovery, when developing recovery actions for the species. As legislated in the Act, the purpose of this Review is to report on progress made towards implementing the protection and recovery actions in the GRS. The review can also help identify opportunities to adjust and adapt the implementation of protection and recovery actions to achieve the recovery goal for the species.

Further information about Hoptree Borer, including the threats that it faces and actions being taken to help protect and recover this species, is available on the Government of Ontario webpage for Hoptree Borer. A summary on the progress towards the protection and recovery of Hoptree Borer and an annual update on the broader species at risk program (i.e. the Introduction to the 2024 Review of Progress report) is available on the Review of Progress towards the Protection and Recovery of Ontario’s Species at Risk webpage.

Snapshot: Progress towards the protection and recovery of Hoptree Borer

Progress towards meeting the recovery goal

• The recovery goal in the government response statement (GRS) for Hoptree Borer in Ontario is to “maintain the distribution of the species at existing locations in Ontario by filling knowledge gaps and managing threats to the species and to its host”.
• Progress has been made towards implementing several of the government-led actions. Initial progress has been made towards implementing one of the government-supported recovery objectives and one associated action. Examples of progress include:
  • monitoring and managing provincially protected areas in a manner consistent with park management plans
  • taking appropriate management actions in accordance with provincial policy direction on cormorants to support protection and recovery of Hoptree Borer
  • continue to address invasive species such as Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) that threaten Hoptree Borer Habitat
  • conducting surveys in suitable habitat to identify populations of Hoptree Borer in priority areas (e.g., Essex County west of Point Pelee and Pelee Island)
• In alignment with the GRS, further work is required to:
  • develop and implement a standardized monitoring program at locations where Hoptree Borer and its host species are known to occur
  • conduct surveys in suitable habitat to identify new populations in priority areas
  • investigate the biology of Hoptree Borer
  • work collaboratively with municipalities, conservation partners, land owners and land managers to mitigate threats and develop, implement and evaluate management plans to maintain or improve the quality of Hoptree Borer habitat and that of its host species

Occurrences and distribution

• Three populations^{footnote 1[1]} of Hoptree Borer have been documented along the shoreline of Lake Erie. Currently, all three of these populations are extant^{footnote 2[2]}. One of these populations has been newly discovered since the species was listed in 2017.

Government-supported stewardship projects

• Supporting our partners through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program is an important government-led action identified in the GRS for the species. To date, no stewardship projects have been performed for Hoptree Borer.

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species recovery

• To date, no permits have been issued for this species.
• No activities have been undertaken in accordance with a conditional exemption that requires registration under the ESA.

Reporting on the progress towards the protection and recovery of Hoptree Borer

The implementation of government-led and government-supported actions demonstrates progress towards reaching the desired objectives and the recovery goal set out in the GRS.

Progress towards implementing government-led actions

Progress has been made towards implementing several of the government-led actions identified in the GRS. Common actions for the government to lead as it works towards achieving a species’ recovery goal include:

• work with partners and stakeholders to support pollinator health in Ontario through actions such as integrated pest management and education
• continue to implement the Ontario Invasive Species Strategic Plan (2012) to address the invasive species (e.g., Garlic Mustard) that threaten Hoptree Borer
• encourage the submission of Hoptree Borer data to the Ontario’s central repository through the citizen science project that they receive data from (i.e., iNaturalist.ca) and directly through the Natural Heritage Information Centre
• undertake communications and outreach to increase public awareness of species at risk in Ontario
• continue to protect Hoptree Borer and its habitat through the ESA
• conduct a review of progress toward the protection and recovery of Hoptree Borer within five years of the publication of this document

Additionally, the government has directly undertaken the following species-specific actions:

• continue to monitor and manage provincially protected areas with Hoptree Borer and Common Hoptree in a manner consistent with park management plans (e.g., Fish Point Provincial Park)
• explore taking appropriate management actions in accordance with provincial policy direction on cormorants to support protection and recovery for Hoptree Borer and its host, Common Hoptree

The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) continues to undertake monitoring of habitats at Fish Point Provincial Park, including those of Hoptree and Hoptree Borer, and address threats such as invasive species. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is also analyzing potential threats of the Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auratus) to the Hoptree Borer and its host species, Common Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata), to determine if specific management actions are necessary. Such management actions would be developed based on the MNR’s 2006 Provincial Cormorant Policy, which assists in the management of the species and provides a basis for future development of management options.

Key progress made towards implementing these actions is described in the following sections.

Pollinator health in Ontario

Pollinators, including wild bees and other native insects, are an important part of the province’s biodiversity and critical to the health of many flowering plants through the pollination services they provide. The Government of Ontario continues to support pollinators as a vital component of healthy ecosystems and for their crucial role in Ontario’s agricultural sector. For example, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribuisiness (OMAFA) works with farmers on ways to promote environmental stewardship, addressing pollinators’ exposure to pesticides by reducing the number of acres planted with neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seed, and providing education programs and supports for farmers to promote integrated pest management. Integrated pest management incorporates a spectrum of available practices and technologies to control pest populations while considering impacts to the environment. Other ways OMAFA supports pollinators include:

• identifying annual priorities for funding programs to assist in evidence-informed decision making related to pollinator health and habitats, including through the development of best management practices, prevention and control of pathogens, and management of emerging issues
• supporting projects to improve soil health and water quality that also provide benefits for pollinator habitat (e.g., cover crops, windbreaks and shelter belts, riparian buffers and retiring fragile land) through Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership-funded environmental stewardship program for farmers

Invasive species in Ontario

The Government of Ontario is committed to continuing its efforts to prevent, detect, respond to and manage invasive species in order to reduce their harmful impacts in the province, including to species at risk and their habitats. The GRS for Hoptree Borer indicates that invasive species (e.g., Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) and Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolaris)) pose a threat to the survival and recovery of the species in Ontario through their effects on the habitat of Hoptree Borer’s host, Common Hoptree.

To prevent the further spread and introduction of Japanese Knotweed, it was listed as a restricted species under the Invasive Species Act in 2016. It is now illegal to import, deposit, release, breed/grow, buy, sell, lease or trade this restricted invasive species in Ontario. It is also illegal to bring a restricted species into a provincial park or conservation reserve and to possess, transport, deposit or release them in these protected areas.

The Government of Ontario also takes action to advance the management of invasive species, including Garlic Mustard and Japanese Knotweed, which could potentially harm the recovery of Hoptree Borer, by working with partners to identify solutions to control these invasive plants. For example, through annual funding agreements with the Invasive Species Centre, MNR has been supporting collaborative efforts with the University of Toronto and federal partners to investigate potential biological control agents for Garlic Mustard and Japanese Knotweed.

Guides and resources

The Government of Ontario supported the development of Best Management Practices for Garlic Mustard (2012) (PDF) and Best Management Practices for Japanese Knotweed (2012) (PDF) by the Ontario Invasive Plant Council. These BMPs provide guidance for managing these invasive plant species in Ontario, which is contributing to the implementation of recovery actions for the Hoptree Borer.

Occurrences and distribution

Tracking the occurrences and distribution of a species is a useful way to monitor and view where a species is found and how it is doing. Ontario’s Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC), the government’s central data repository, gathers and manages this type of biodiversity information. NHIC tracks and maps this data as species observations and individual element occurrences, where an element occurrence is an area of land and/or water where a species or plant community is or was present, and has a practical conservation value. For the purposes of this report, ‘population’ is an alternative name for element occurrence.

Three populations of Hoptree Borer have been documented in Ontario. All three of these populations are considered to be extant (i.e., observed within the past 20 years). The extant populations are located along the shorelines of Lake Erie.

Since 2017, the government’s central conservation data repository at the NHIC has received 30 records of the species. These records are based on observations between 1927 and 2023 and come from a variety of sources. Records submitted have helped to refine where the species is known and has been known to occur and can provide additional information on the species’ habitat use and threats.

Of the three populations, one of the populations has been known to be extant since 1927, one was discovered in 2010, and one population was newly discovered in 2022 through a citizen science submission on iNaturalist. The newly identified local population is likely the result of increased education about Hoptree Borer and likely does not represent an actual population increase, but rather increased knowledge about the distribution of the species.

It is possible that there are observations of Hoptree Borer that have not been submitted to the government. Encouraging the submission of observations of this species is included in the GRS as a government-led action. Submission of species observations increases our knowledge of where they occur and can play an important role in assessing the viability of species populations.

Everyone is encouraged, or may be required by an authorization or condition of a regulatory exemption, to submit observations of Hoptree Borer, and any other species at risk observed, to the NHIC for incorporation into the provincial record of observations.

Government-supported stewardship projects

An important government-led action in the GRS for Hoptree Borer is to support partners to undertake activities to protect and recover the species. To date, no stewardship projects have been funded through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. The species is very rare and localized to an extremely restricted area of the province within protected areas.

Supporting human activities while ensuring appropriate support for species recovery

Supporting partners through authorizations and their associated conditions is an important government-led action. To date, no permits have been issued for Hoptree Borer.

No activities that pertain to Hoptree Borer have been registered for the purposes of Ontario Regulation 242/08 under the ESA since the registry was established in 2013.

Progress towards implementing government-supported actions

Government-supported actions are organized under overarching recovery objectives. Initial progress has been made towards achieving one of the government-supported Inventory and Monitoring recovery objective and the associated action related to conducting surveys that is identified in the GRS for Hoptree Borer. Several individuals have used moth traps to attract and observe moths, and through this Citizen Science approach have made observations of Hoptree Borer that have been submitted to the provincial record, increasing our knowledge of the persistence of this species.

Summary of progress towards meeting the recovery goal

The recovery goal for Hoptree Borer is “maintain the distribution of the species at existing locations in Ontario by filling knowledge gaps and managing threats to the species and to its host species”. For example, the provincial record of observations indicates efforts to increase reporting of the species have been effective, as the NHIC has received 30 records of the species since 2017. These records have resulted in one new population being identified in Amherstburg, improving our knowledge of the distribution of the Hoptree Borer.

Recommendations

As stated in the GRS, this review of progress can be used to help identify whether adjustments are needed to achieve the protection and recovery of the species. Based on progress to-date, the overall direction provided in the GRS for Hoptree Borer should continue to guide protection and recovery of the species, particularly those actions identified as high priority in the GRS.

More specifically, further monitoring work is required, including the development and implementation of a standardized monitoring program at locations where Hoptree Borer is known to occur, and conducting surveys in suitable habitat to identify new populations in priority areas. Research into the biology of the species (e.g., its life cycle and dispersal capability) and collaborative stewardship to support Hoptree Borer populations in Ontario also remain priorities going forward.

Protecting and recovering Hoptree Borer will continue to be a shared responsibility that will require the involvement of many individuals, organizations and communities. Financial support for the implementation of actions may be available through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program. The government can also advise if any authorizations under the ESA or other legislation may be required to undertake a project. By working together, progress can continue to be made towards protecting and recovering Hoptree Borer in Ontario.