Discussions

Well... it is that time of the year again! They are hatching with the warm weather we had today!!! We went out and cleaned off all little groups of the tent caterpillars and all the egg masses we could find, placing them into a bucket and put the lid on tight. If you do so in your yard on your trees now, you won't have to deal with as many of them later!

I just cut my tree down. Was much easier.

this only works if your neighbors do the same. We put a lot of time and effort into removing them last year, only for a gust of wind to blow all the buggers off the neighbors tree on to ours...this is hopefully the last year in the 5 year cycle.

But, every caterpillar you get is less moths later, and less damage now.

where we live we had very few last year, The ones I could see I just sprayed them with a mixture of dish soap and water. It kills them quickly and does no damage to anything else. A good squirt bottle or even a really good water gun gets up there in the trees. Just make sure you coat them good.

Fishin Guy said "I just cut my tree down. Was much easier. "

I like the way you handle it. Lol

I am terribly afraid and grossed out by the caterpillars, but I do think that we are doing a bad service to Mother Nature by killing most of them. They are a main food source for the bird population.

I used a shop vac to get them out of my trees last year, but my trees aren't that big.

Anyone seen the little buggers out yet? Or is it still too early?  
 
I had lots last year but never saw any eggs so far. Crossing my fingers I catch a break this time.

Forgot to knock on wood, paying the price. Didn’t have to look hard to find a handful on Apple trees this am.

Adam said "Forgot to knock on wood, paying the price. Didn’t have to look hard to find a handful on Apple trees this am. "

Did you see the caterpillars or the eggs? By the way, yuck!

At first just a few stray caterpillars on apple trees. Then I had a look up our Boulevard tree and bingo, motherload. Thankfully the “hockey stick method” made quick work of them. None to be found on any of our neighbours’ trees yesterday but imagine they aren’t far behind.

I wish the city would spray for these $#@##$ things.

They aren’t the greatest site and it is some work to make sure they stay off trees on my own property, but I’m fine with City saving the cash and not spraying my street unless absolutely necessary. Ladder+hockey stick got this. I don’t know if I’ve seen one tree in my area that’s died because of them over these last few years, but if a tree does die it’s likely only an Ash that the Ash Borer already has in its crosshairs!

Touch wood but I have not seen any yet this year. (Green Acres) Has anyone else?

dawn blue lemon juice salt and water kills them and lady bugs nicely

I guess this year will go into the books as not much of a year for these guys. My tree was the one one I saw that had a big cluster of them. FWIW I did just pluck a recently laid egg sack off of a young tree at my place, so that’s the stage whatever caterpillars are left have reached!

It's so nice to not have them this year.  
 
A week ago today I squashed 2 in Dauphin.