Maybe 10 Tent Caterpillars Nests In One Tree. Cut It Down?

[MrSalvage]

I really don't want to cut down this ornamental pear tree. It however is totally infested with tents. They are up high and down low. I mean you can see what I guess is silk? running up and down the truck. It's the craziest I have ever seen a tree infested.

What so bad is it is about 10 to 15 feet from my garden. I haven't planted my garden yet. i have been shooting for May 1st. I told my girl we might need to burn that sucker down! She is heart broke but man i just don't know what to do with some thing so infested.

Any ideas on this one? Please!

Ty
Bill

[KarenO]

BT spray applied directly to nests and anything that emerges should do it. Make sure of identification as webworm and tent caterpillars are both critters that have silky nests. Tent caterpillars tend to build nests in the angle of branches near the trunk and webworms more in the outer branches. For heaven sake don't remove the tree. First step of any pest control is correct Identification of the critter in Question
KarenO

[MrSalvage]

I will get photos of this mess in the morning Karen. They are in the lower part and up in the top. I think you may be right tho. All seem to be in the crotch of the tree/branch. I don't see this local at home depot or lowes. Is there another name? Could you or anyone else post a possible link to the proper product?

Ty
Bill

[Worth1]

I had some get on one of my smaller trees and I sprayed them with Hot Shot insect spray.
Mine were genista caterpillars they feed on Texas Mountain Laurel.
Worth

[Worth1]

By the way these critter are selective in what they infest they aren't going to infest your garden.
Like what was said do research find out what it is and learn to identify the eggs.
Worth

[clkeiper]

I wouldn't encourage you to burn down the tree. That is a bit extreme. Do you have a pump up sprayer you have NEVER used for an herbicide? use that to spray the Bt spray or even try soapy water first. 1T dishsoap per gal. h2o +1t cooking oil. Spray on first thing in the morning and do not rinse it off. The Bt is a product that the caterpillars eat as the consume the foliage and then they die off because it makes them quit eating and starve to death. here is what Bt actually is.....
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/ba...c-114_463.html

[My Foot Smells]

I usually get a long bamboo pole, wrap the tip good with foil, tie a kersone soaked rag, light and torch the tent nests. It starts raining 'pillars (so don't fire 'em up directly underneath) and the birds usually bat cleanup. Would not think necessary to burn tree down. Follow up treatment w/ a spray.

I gave up on the pear, fireblight is a problem down here.

[MrSalvage]

I ended up buying this product from Southern States. It has the BT in it...

[MrSalvage]

I have this chemical applicator but I am not sure if it can spray that high up. The container is half full of this brush killer as well. So not to sure about a bad chemical reaction as well.

I guess i will need to wing it...

[MrSalvage]

Here are some pictures of these tents. I also added a bad spot where the tree was trimmed a few years ago. We looked around and I see that these caterpillars have infested another bigger Bradford Pear tree we have. Plus one other nest in a 50 footer that i think is Gum.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by MrSalvage

I have this chemical applicator but I am not sure if it can spray that high up. The container is half full of this brush killer as well. So not to sure about a bad chemical reaction as well.

I guess i will need to wing it...

I encourage you to buy a sprayer for the insecticide spray, do NOT re-use one that has had an herbicide in it. you will kill off the tree very slowly. There will always be residual effects from the small amount left in the sprayer no matter how well you wash it out. I have sprayers specific for round up and 2,4 d,...I do not cross contaminate them. If one breaks I go buy a new on specifically for that class of spray.

[JLJ_]

I don't mean to be a gloom-bird about BT, as it does effectively vanquish some problem critters, and there is risk/benefit balance to be considered with everything, but I think I may become JLJ BTthoughtSeed and begin dropping this particular kind of thought seed everywhere BT is recommended . . . to counteract the impression that some (not all) develop that there is no reason to worry about adverse effects of BT contact as long as you count your feet and verify that you are not a caterpillar.

It's an old piece, and is not by any means a complete look at pros and cons, but it's one of the best at just raising some issues concerning BT that may not get enough consideration, I think.

http://www.mindfully.org/GE/Bacillus...giensis-Bt.htm

[dmforcier]

When you get right down to it, tent caterpillars are ugly and they can do a good job of denuding the tree if the infestation is heavy. But they generally don't infest anything nearby, and the tree is quite capable of putting up with the insult.

I wouldn't deal with them at all, except physically. If you disrupt the tents, then the birds can get at them. If you can't reach a tent, just leave it. Next year you probably won't even remember that this happened.

[MrSalvage]

Thank you all for the advise.

I was certainly freaking out over them. Based on what a few of you have said. If they wont eat my garden I really don't care. Both trees are a waste of space to me. In fact every tree on this property is a waste. Pine's, Gum's, Acorn's & Bradford Pear's.

My lord what waste...

Anyway my girls, brother let all this grow and get out of control. He passed away and the trees are sentimental to her. As for me the little Bradford is in the way of a new access road I need to cut in. She knows that tree in the way too but i am not ready to put in the garage yet.

So I figure i would try to save the tree for her for a little while longer. When it was trimmed two years ago it had so many problems. I felt i would kill it before I even trimmed it. Somehow the tree survived my butcher job and became very pretty. I mean you can see in one of the pictures what size limbs I cut off the thing.

So I won't do anything to it then chemical wise. I will just go out there and break up the nests i can get to.

I will hold on to the BT and get a few new hose-end sprayers to have for the chemicals I have on hand. I will also make them dedicated to each chem I have. That way i wont cross contaminate.

Thanks again to all of you for your knowledge and time. I know it's not easy to answer all my stupid questions.

Thanks
Bill

[dmforcier]

Try to get her used to the fact that the Bradford Pear is a very short-lived tree anyway. As I understand it, it was adopted by development landscapers because it grows very quickly and is pretty in the spring. But that quick growth is its doom because the fast-growing limbs will split the trunk at the crown. You probably saved its life with the hack job.

Good growing,
Dennis