Tent Caterpillars are Hatching!!!!
Eastern tent caterpillar egg hatch
has started.
"When temperatures are in the
upper 70s most of the eggs hatch in eight to ten days, however, highs in the
50s can spread hatch out over a month," said Lee Townsend, Extension
entomologist in the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture. "These
caterpillars are basically inactive below 50 degrees so it's easy to see how
great an effect temperature has on them."
The tent caterpillar, which gets
its name from the silken tent it constructs in tree branches, prefers wild
cherry but also feeds on peach, apple, crabapple and other trees.
A
patient approach will allow any early natural control, such as heavy rains or
freezes, to have an effect, and we need to keep in mind that treating too early
can mean that additional applications may be needed. Spraying will be
most effective when the nests are established and the caterpillars are actively
feeding. Waiting until the nests are about the size of a baseball or
softball should be about ideal. (NOW!)
Natural enemies play an important role in reducing eastern
tent caterpillar numbers in most years. Caterpillars are frequently parasitized
by various tiny braconid, ichneumonid, and chalcid wasps. Several predators and
a few diseases also help to regulate their populations.
Prevention and early control is important. Removal and
destruction of the egg masses from ornamental and fruit trees during winter
greatly reduces the problem next spring. In the early spring, small tents can
be removed and destroyed by hand. Larger tents may be pruned out and destroyed
or removed by winding the nest upon the end of a stick. Burning the tents out
with a torch is not recommended since this can easily damage the tree.
Young caterpillars can be killed by applying an insecticide
containing Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki. Larvae within the tents are
protected beneath the webbing and are more difficult to kill with an
insecticide.
Hardin
County Extension Office (765-4121) www.hardinext.org
is an excellent source of information on insect pest management, as well as the
UK entomology department's web site at www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/enthp.htm. |
| Eastern Tent Caterpillar |
