TENT CATERPILLARS

Tent caterpillars are the larvae of moths. Moths lay eggs on twigs in early summer; eggs over winter and hatch in early spring. The caterpillars move to the nearest crotch and construct the web for protection during the day, going out to feed at night. After an eating period of 5 to 8 weeks they weave a cocoon on limbs, trunks or leaf litter and pupate. In approximately 10 days they emerge as adult moths, and the cycle starts again. There is normally only one generation per year.

You can spray a web all you want, it’s impervious to the spray, so the spray never gets inside to kill the caterpillars. I use a long pole with a wire hook on one end to tear open the web and then spray the inside with a good insecticide like BTK, Neem, or Sharp Shooter or an insect soap spray. When you happen to see a caterpillar with white eggs or a cocoon attached to it’s back, don’t kill it; they are hosts of native parasites.