Caterpillars!
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trampledbyturtles
5 year old buck +
I use sevin to knock them back, break the tent open to ensure good coverage if u can reach them.
Sevin kills em dead when they eat the residue of the chemical on the leaves. It is very effective and does not harm plants at all. It's a cholinesterase Inhibitor which blocks muscles from functioning; it has no effect on plants.
I've had some apples wilt after spraying but that was from spraying when it was 90 degrees and had nothing to do with the Sevin.
I've had some apples wilt after spraying but that was from spraying when it was 90 degrees and had nothing to do with the Sevin.
Freeborn
5 year old buck +
I use the Bonide products and they work very well.
I purchased 4 bottles of Bonide a couple years ago so my label looks different than this one but if you search their products you should able to find one that works for tent caterpillars.
The best way I have found to kill them is to catch them in the early morning when its cool, they will all be in the nest and not spread around the tree.
https://www.amazon.com/Bonide-Produ...82794&sr=8-1&keywords=bonide+fruit+tree+spray
I purchased 4 bottles of Bonide a couple years ago so my label looks different than this one but if you search their products you should able to find one that works for tent caterpillars.
The best way I have found to kill them is to catch them in the early morning when its cool, they will all be in the nest and not spread around the tree.
https://www.amazon.com/Bonide-Produ...82794&sr=8-1&keywords=bonide+fruit+tree+spray
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I've sprayed them with ant/roach spray and hornet spray and both worked right away. Best to spray the tent after dark if possible, so all the cats are back in the tent for the night, - or at first light before they crawl out to forage. You can also just pull the tent out of the tree & step on it, if it's within reach.
Lot2Learn
5 year old buck +
I had them bad a couple of years ago and posted on this forum for a solution. One reader suggested 12 gauge shotgun blasts with a full choke directly at their nests you'll see in the trees surrounding your orchards. This blows a hole in their nest and the local bird population does the rest of the work.
It was fun doing the shooting and, amazingly, I've had zero problems with caterpillars since.
It was fun doing the shooting and, amazingly, I've had zero problems with caterpillars since.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
^^^^ Is that catalpa ??
I like the 12 gauge suggestion and just might try that on my land for the higher tents that I can not reach. For ones that I can reach, I just cut the off the branch they are on and put them in a 5 gallon bucket. When I am done for the day, I start a nice hot fire in my burn barrel. The caterpillar cocoons are added to the top of the fire. That is how I get rid of them. I guess I have a little pyromaniac in me.
