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.