Climate change may amplify several major stressors that are already affecting this forest system. Warmer temperatures may dampen the effects of the eastern spruce budworm, but allow balsam woolly adelgid and hemlock woolly adelgid to increase and spread more easily . Tree susceptibility to insect infestations are expected to increase as trees become moisture-stressed. Studies suggest that insect pests may increase in northern forests due to increased metabolic activity in active periods and increased winter survival. Insect pests, such as the hemlock woolly adelgid, are expected to cause more frequent and severe damage under climate change. Trees stressed by heat, drought, or disturbance are also typically more vulnerable to insect pests and diseases.