EASTERN TENT CATERPILLAR
Eastern tent caterpillars spin webs on various ornamental and flowering
trees during April, May and early June. Caterpillars are bluish-black with
a white stripe down the middle of their back with two yellowish-red lines
on either side and feed on leaves. Caterpillars leave the safety of the
silken web to feed.
Most insecticides will not penetrate the silken tent. The tent needs
to be broken before the chemical is applied.
Another control method is to remove the branch and destroy the nest.
Eastern tent caterpillar are cyclic problemse. As the population builds,
so does the population of birds and other natural enemies that feed on
the caterpillars. This, however, may take a couple years.
Damage can be severe as plants are forced in the early spring to use
the remaining stored energy to produce new leaves.
See: Bagworms, Fall
webworms
See also Garden Pests & Insects
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