The report focuses on the 20 major insects and diseases that annually cause defoliation and mortality in forests of the United States. This 2013 edition contains updated charts, tables, and maps, plus, it provides a national summary of the major changes and status of these 20 forest pests. "

This report on the major insect and disease conditions of the Nation's forests represents the 65th annual report prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The report focuses on 19 major insects and diseases that annually cause defoliation and mortality in U.S. forests.Insects and diseases play critical roles in maintaining healthy, resilient ecosystems, but they are also among the most serious environmental and economic threats to the millions of acres of forests and urban treed areas in America. Natural and anthropogenic stressors will continue to influence the establishment, spread, and impacts of insects and diseases on forests. Tree species may be positively or negatively impacted by these changes, altering the array of products and services derived from forested lands, including timber, recreation, clean water, energy, wildlife habitat, and jobs. To understand how conditions are changing and to protect species, forests are surveyed for insect and disease extent and intensity so that Federal and State agencies and other stakeholders can prioritize future actions and ensure forests remain resilient and sustainable into the future. The overall mortality caused by insects and diseases varies by year and by pest.