Caterpillar Season
After Mother Nature decided to make up for an unusually mild winter with a sudden few weeks of cold and rain, the sudden appearance of actual spring weather has had Seattlest keeping an eye out for every sign of spring we can find.
Sometime this week, one of the surest signs of spring yet has arrived: the notorious Tent Caterpillar infestations are back!
While these pests can do an incredible amount of damage to trees if left unchecked, Washington State University and Seattlest would like to remind everyone that fire, pretty and effective as it might be, isn't the best approach to controlling the problem.
Recently, a Seattle news station covered a story about western tent caterpillars infesting Seattle. The reported stated, “Some people use a little gas and a match [to control the caterpillars].” NEVER recommend fire as a control method for tent caterpillars (or any other pest problem). Burning the tents can result in more damage to the tree. Additionally, this practice may result in personal injury and property damage.
Guess we better put that flamethrower away, then.
Some tips on controlling the lil' buggers, courtesy of the City of Seattle:
Seattle Transportation and other City departments use an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach when dealing with Western Tent Caterpillars. Control measures are only considered when population levels are extremely high, and other factors such as high public use combine to make control necessary. In those cases, mechanical means such as hand pruning or picking the webs from branches are used.
Homeowners who see infestations on their property should watch the number of tents forming and monitor the leaf damage. Individual tents can be removed by pruning in the early morning and evening, when the temperature is cool and caterpillars are inside them (a pole pruner is useful for high branches). Put pruned nests in a bucket of soapy water or seal them in a plastic bag and crush it. Do not remove large branches or perform excessive pruning as a means of caterpillar control - you may do more damage to the tree by pruning than the caterpillars would do by eating the leaves.
Another method of control is to hand-strip egg masses, or prune them out of plants during the winter.
Enjoy your spring!
