gypsy moths..

[Anonymous]

IT seems a tree in my yard in infested with gypsy moths...there are these weird white cocoons throughout the tree. DOes anyone know how I get rid of them? I am concerned about insecticides because we have a 12 month old and two dogs who play out there, not to mention tons of other plants that would be affected. Do I need to call a professional?

THanks!

[Anonymous]

I'd Google the issue to be sure - but growing up in New England we had lots of these. I was told that the only cure was to snip the branch that had the "tent" and burn the nest. Obviously that's pesticide-free but I don't know if it actually cures the problem, or if your tree can weather a heavy pruning...

[Anonymous]

We used to have them and I'd just pluck them off and bag them - then throw in the trash. Never sprayed just spent several afternoons picking them off the branches.

[Anonymous]

http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/morgantown/4557/gmoth/cycle/

The thing you have is gross, for sure, but it is not a gypsy moth.

Coudn't find the one you mean, but I would love to know what it is.

[Anonymous]

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/environmental/alikes.htm

You've intrigued me. Go to the last photo. We have them, too.

Yuck!

[Anonymous]

thanks for the info. while i am completely grossed out by this, I am glad to know they probably won't kill the tree. am sending DH out tomorrow to try to poke the tents or whatever to try to get rid of them.

[SurelyYouNest]

OK, I emailed my dad since like PP i grew up in New England and we battled them for a long while. My dad's never used insecticides or anything synthetic, even fertilizers. He said to contact your local Audubon for info but what he did was to battle them with spray oil and by hand-picking them off (once they'd hatched). He put sticky tape around the trunk around 5 feet off the ground. I can't remember why they end up stuck onto it (migrate down the tree? fall onto the ground when tents open and need to climb up? can't remember). But then you have a high maintenance job of picking off (and squishing) many, many caterpillars. This was a pretty vivid part of my childhood! Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I read you should cut of the branch of the tree, dip it in a bucket of very soapy water (or you can leave it in there to soak), wrap in plastic, and dispose.

They spread quickly so watch out.

[Anonymous]

SurelyYouNest wrote:OK, I emailed my dad since like PP i grew up in New England and we battled them for a long while. My dad's never used insecticides or anything synthetic, even fertilizers. He said to contact your local Audubon for info but what he did was to battle them with spray oil and by hand-picking them off (once they'd hatched). He put sticky tape around the trunk around 5 feet off the ground. I can't remember why they end up stuck onto it (migrate down the tree? fall onto the ground when tents open and need to climb up? can't remember). But then you have a high maintenance job of picking off (and squishing) many, many caterpillars. This was a pretty vivid part of my childhood! Good luck.

I grew up in NE, too, and remember the gypsy moths so vividly! I also remember the sticky tape covering trees in our neighborhood. As an animal lover, though, I always felt bad for the all the poor squished caterpillars all over the place.

[Anonymous]

Gypsy moths can give your kids a rash (nothing more htan that) if your kids play with the caterpillars.

The caterpillars climb up the tree (they are not the tent caterpillars the OP has). I don't know where they are born, but I know they climb from the ground. Wrap your tree in tin foil at shoulder height and they won't be able to climb up. My mom and I used to go outside and kill time (by cutting them in half with a knife while we screamed. it was awful).

[Anonymous]

The Eastern Tent Caterpillars are indeed different from the Gypsy Caterpillars as one of the PPs pointed out. Here is a link:
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/pest_al/etc/etc.htm

It says they aren't harmful to the trees - which my conventional New England upbringing contradicts - and that they're really just an aesthetic problem. I find them ugly to look at and gross to squish so I'm all for destroying those breeding tents!