Are tent caterpillars bad for plants?
Tent caterpillars attack several species of broadleaf trees and shrubs, producing unsightly webs, or tents. When their populations become large, the caterpillars can defoliate trees, stunting their growth.
Do tent caterpillars cause damage?
Although some people may find them unsightly, in most years tent caterpillars do not cause serious injury to their host plants and can even be beneficial to their environment by providing a food source for wildlife. Typically, tent caterpillars only defoliate a few branches and only actively feed for a few weeks.
What kills tent caterpillars on plants?
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is the most effective. Since this is a selective insecticide, it kills tent caterpillars while remaining safe to other wildlife. Apply spray directly to foliage and tent worm nests.
How long do tent caterpillar moths live?
Adults live for five to ten days. They are active fliers and can be carried for several hundred kilometers on air currents. Widespread forest tent caterpillar outbreaks tend to occur at intervals of six to 16 years.
How long does tent caterpillar season last?
Eastern Tent caterpillars have been in North America since 1646. Outbreaks happen about every ten years and sometimes last up to two years. Tent caterpillar outbreaks are periodic, but do not happen on an exact schedule because they depend on several environmental and biological factors.
How long do tent caterpillars stay around?
Forest tent caterpillars typically infest the city once every 10 to 15 years, but when an infestation hits, it can last two to three years.
What month do tent caterpillars come out?
The caterpillars overwinter as pupae in cocoons that are hidden either in the bark of trees or in the soil. The moths emerge from mid-March to mid-late April. They are satin white with brown wing spots. After mating, the female moth lays her eggs on the underside of leaves in masses of 200-500 eggs.
Where can you find the western tent caterpillar?
The Western Tent Caterpillar is found in southern Canada, the western United States, and parts of northern Mexico. There are currently six recognized subspecies of M. californicum.
Are there any insecticides that kill western tent caterpillars?
Western tent caterpillars are very susceptible to most insecticides including those containing Bacillus thuringiensis, spinosad, neem, carbaryl, chlorpyrifos and all pyrethroids. Dormant season sprays of horticultural oil can kill many of the developing larvae within eggs.
How big can a western tent caterpillar outbreak get?
Population sizes of western tent caterpillar can reach outbreak proportions, where populations reach very high numbers and large scale defoliation occurs. Severe outbreaks can cause defoliation of host trees however, damage to trees is minimal and most trees will grow their leaves back quickly.
What kind of food does western tent caterpillar eat?
Western tent caterpillar larvae are generalist herbivores, feeding on leaves. However, diet preference is heavily dependent on geographical location. The tree in which a female deposits the eggs is where the larvae will choose to feed.
