We have always burned them off with a torch. I'm not sure if that is the best way to get rid of them, though.
bag worms make cocoon like things on a branch of the tree and are filled with caterpillar looking things, im pretty sure they are harmful to a tree,,,, thanks for the replies Peace~Love~Light
Our walnut orchards get hit with webs every fall, not sure how much damage they actually do, but they don't look really pretty. The orchardists, spray pretty heavy during this period which I am not sure is all that great either, since the webs happen every year anyway.
are the webs filled with caterpillar looking things?? cuz that is sort of what this one looked like a web,,but inside of it were lots of creatures.
Never really looked at one up really close. Drive by the orchards and see them every fall. Being a horti...probably my bad for not paying more attention.
Sounds to me like you have Tent Caterpillars Bagworms are caterpillars that make distinctive spindle-shaped bags on a variety of trees and shrubs throughout the world. They attack both deciduous trees and evergreens, but are especially damaging to juniper, arborvitae, spruce, pine and cedar. Large populations of bagworms can strip plants of their foliage and eventually cause them to die. With pine trees, infestations often go unnoticed because folks mistake the protective bags for pine cones or other plant structures. 60% of my few acres is tree farm (short leaf pine) and I've had these little buggers around. Here's what they look like: http://www.whatsthatbug.com/bagworm.html http://bugguide.net/node/view/122 http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef440.asp The tent caterpillars produce the silky web like structures, they live in deciduous trees, which they strip of leaves after emerging from their eggs. The moths favor oak, sweetgum and tupelo, aspen trees, and sugar maple for laying their eggs, but the larvae can be found feeding on many other species of woody trees or shrubs. The caterpillars are a problem when their populations explode in the springtime. They can completely defoliate a tree, but usually the trees re-foliate quite quickly (within two weeks to a month) and produce enough new leaves to carry on. Under most circumstances, little lasting damage is caused to the trees. They don't bother my pines, but I have a couple of natural woods areas, and I've had them there. Peace, poor_old_dad
Burning I think is out of the question in the orchards where I see them. They are there year after year and don't seem to hurt the trees.
Yeah, right on. Burning of the web of tentworm caterpillars in the tree is not only dangerous, but harmful,since you could do far more harm with the heat that the caterpillars ever will. The easiest control for trees up to 13 to 16 feet tall is to use a large stick, broom handle, limp saw, etc. and when the caterpillars are in their nests (Early morning or late afternoon or during rains is best because most of the caterpillars will be in the tent) Poke the stick or whatever into the center of the nest then roll the stick. The silk fibers of the nest will adhere to the stick and as you roll the stick, the silk will wrap the caterpillars up tight in their nest. Then slide the nest and caterpillars off the stick with your foot and squash the whole mass. For smaller trees or shrubs wash the caterpillars off the leaves with a garden hose and squash them with your foot when they land on the lawn. Bt-k (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) is an extremely popular and successful method of controlling YOUNG caterpillars but after about 3 weeks of age they are too big for that to work and then you could resort to Neem Oil sprays. Bt-k can be purchased in any garden center department as as dust or a liquid that can be sprayed on the foliage. It should be used as a LAST resort, however. There's waaay too much of it being applied. Care most be taken when applying natural pesticides to minimize damage to these beneficial organisms. They play an important role in maintaining pest populations during most years. Prevention goes a long way toward keeping tentworm caterpillars under control. Inspection of susceptible trees in late winter is the best means of control. Start controlling the wee buggers by looking on susceptible trees for the egg cases, typically a bronze colored foamy mass around a small twig (about the size of a pencil), 9 to 18 inches in from the tip of the twig. Prune that egg mass off and burn it. Peace, poor_old_dad
From the description, info and links to the pictures you provided Poor Old Dad, sounds and looks like I do have the Tent Caterpillars,,,and i did get them down with a stick,,,,i was too afraid to try the fire method in fear i would set the whole woods ablaze,,,,Thanks for all the info Peace~Love~Light
