Tent Caterpillars

[cdbva]

I had some seeds started -- chard, various salad greens, and zinnias -- that had just put up very energetic cotyledons. They were on the porch in little biodegradable cups.

Came home from work today and the salad and the zinnias had completely disappeared. The chard was still there.

There were two tent caterpillars on cups, and three or four nosing about next to the cups on the cement. So... do they eat little baby plants?

There are no trees anywhere near the porch. There are some azaleas, though. I have noticed some tents in the neighbor's yard, about 50 feet away. Could they have come all that way?

I was cross.

Christine