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Eastern Tent Caterpillar
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Taken from the B.Y.G.L. (Buckeye Yard and Garden Online) Newsletter
Contributing Authors: Pam Bennett, Joe Boggs, Cindy Meyer, Jim Chatfield, Erik Draper, Dave Dyke, Gary Gao, David Goerig, Tim Malinich, Becky McCann, Bridget Meiring, Amy Stone and Curtis Young |
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Eastern Tent Caterpillar Tent Raisings. Joe Boggs reported that the overwintered eggs of the eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum) moth began hatching in southern Butler County in southwest Ohio over the weekend. Joe noted that the BYGL Early Warning System (a.k.a. Larry Hanks, Pampered Properties, Lexington, KY) reported that eggs began hatching in Georgetown, KY, on March 18. There's only a 100 mile north/south geographical difference between the locations, yet the phenological difference is around 2 weeks; such is spring!
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| The caterpillars are accomplished and prolific tent-makers producing highly visible silk nests in the forks of branches. They begin producing silk nests immediately upon hatching from eggs. Currently, the nests measure only 1-2" across and they primarily encase the spent egg mass. However, both the size of the caterpillars and their nests will rapidly increase over the next couple of weeks accompanied by accelerating defoliation of their host trees. Eastern tent caterpillars prefer to feed on trees in the family Rosaceae, particularly those in the genus Prunus, such as cherries. They also occasionally feed on ash, birch, maple, and oaks. The caterpillars are covered in short, grayish-white hairs and they have a distinct, unbroken white stripe down their backs. The caterpillars are capable of causing serious stress to their host trees. Leaves lost to caterpillar feeding this spring must be replaced using energy stored from last season. Small nests can be eliminated digitally using five-fingered "smash and/or smear" techniques. Less hands-on methods include applications of the naturally occurring bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), applied to early instar stages, as well as standard insecticides labeled for general caterpillar. The tiny cats may only meow now, but they will roar later in the season! |
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