We did have a heavy gypsy moth season last year here in central PA. A lot of trees are looking poorly, but I forget if this elm was affected or if the little catapillers like elm. The tree is along a waste area next to the Lowest which is right behind my house. It didn't dawn on me until recently that it was an elm. It so close I can tote it home, so I'll cut some off and see.
Pat, its interesting you should mention Hickory because thats another topic of relevance. I cut a young pignut two years ago and put the splits in the attic at the old house we use as our office. Cut, debarked, and straight into the attic. One of the splits is rotten with a bunch of little borer holes. It was under a dip in the roof and I bet there was a trickle leakage. The splits are fine, were in a slightly diff location. I was checking out the wood and flexed the split on the floor (we can't help but do that sometimes, can we) and it gave our a big crack and puff of dust. I want to make a eastern woodland D bow to give some Nanticoke indians I'm going to work with in Delaware.