Tent caterpillars

Toyboy · May 12, 2012

Is anyone else experiencing a problem with these caterpillars this year. You know, the kind that have webs in the branches of trees and proceed to eat all the leaves off the tree, especially fruit type trees.
I've got a running battle going on w/them this year. I've taken nests out of my apple, plum and wild crab apple & cherry.
I think their on to me though. All the nests I've been able to destroy with propane torch or cutting down and throwing in burning barrel now have started showing up waaay higher up in the tree. Out of reach of even my pole trimmer. I was going to use the 8' step ladder but thought I'd be very uncomfortable in a body cast.
So as I sit here this morning sipping my coffee I come upon a foolproof way to get them hi ones down. I get dressed, get out my turkey gun and screw in an IC choke and stuff it with #8 shells. Works like a charm. Ya gotta be careful though that there ain't any birds flying over so you don't have any collateral damage.
Yes sir, no body cast for me!

Little Red Tractor · May 12, 2012

I always thought a small flame thrower might work...the kind they sell for thawing sidewalks. Never had the need to try it.

Toyboy · May 13, 2012

That would work but you'd sure fry the tree in the process. Getting to them is what the problem is at times.

savageactor7 · May 15, 2012

LOL... now you got me wondering about our trees. In the past we've use a long piece of conduit or wood molding to break up the tent.

sfloggie · May 15, 2012

We have them at times and have for years. There are two types in our area. One is the "group tents" and one is the single spun nest. We pick off the single spun.

There are several methods to rid of the pests.Our method is to go to the "nest" just before dark or early morning as the adults leave at light and eat all day. We carefully cut the further portion of the branch that is not a part of the nest and bag it. Then we trash the bad.

Note that the caterpillar is drawn to light. You can place a soft yellow light in an area where you have removed the pests. The female will lay eggs near the light and you can remove them easily.

Hope this helps.

Jim

forgeblast · May 15, 2012

I think the freak frosts we had have controlled the population a bit for us. Some years houses look like shag carpets with so many of them climbing the houses other years its not too bad. I hope its not too bad this year.

Western · May 15, 2012

I have duct taped a propane torch to a 15' piece of 1-1/4" PVC pipe to get the high ones. Works good, but awkward at times.

Dr_Zinj · May 15, 2012

Tents I can reach I drive a straw on the end of a WD 40 can into it and then fill the nest. The oil suffocates the caterpillars. No worries about developing a resistance to the pesticide. You can probably use any lightweight oil that you can aerosolize with a sprayer. Aerosolized oil IS flammable, so no smoking or ignition sources near it when in use.

- Does not appear to cause any damage to the tree or bush other than wilting any leaves it comes in contact with.
- You don't have a fire hazard.
- You don't have the problem of poisoning yourself as quickly with bug spray.
- Don't see a problem with oil contaminating the ground as it doesn't take very much to do the job.