In the early spring as new leaves begin to come out, so too does a small caterpillar. This pest is most often seen on Wild Cherries and other fruit trees. It is known as the Eastern Tent Caterpillar and is an annual visitor to Central Virginia and The Shenandoah Valley.
The Eastern Tent Caterpillar hatch out in early spring and quickly begin forming a web, or tent, in which a large number of these caterpillars reside. The caterpillars are very social and therefore tend to group together in the tent and feed on nearby leaves. The tent grows larger as the caterpillars mature and grow. The caterpillars will often defoliate the tree. Later, as the caterpillars reach maturity, they begin to crawl out of the tree in search of a suitable location to pupate and emerge as adult moths. It is during this phase that the caterpillars become a nuisance as they crawl all over driveways, sidewalks, decks, and houses.
This is an annual pest which does no real long term damage to its host tree. Most trees will grow a new set of leaves and grow normally through the end of the season. They are a nuisance more than anything, a pest if you will. The caterpillar can be treated with a selective insecticide during the early stages of their lives. In addition, the tent can be cut out of the tree and destroyed, also destroying the caterpillars inside the tent. Now is the time to treat.
Big O Tree and Lawn Service is equipped to control this nuisance pest. Call us today to get your tree treated.