Yuck, yes, we've got the tent caterpillars here in the Binghamton area too. I haven't seen them this bad in YEARS. They are EVERYWHERE. Blecchh. My son thinks the caterpillars are cute - he tries to rescue them from the sidewalk and put them somewhere safe. We don't have any in the trees around our yard, but other places nearby are just festooned with their webs, and covered with their poop. Yuck!!!! ICK!!!

Laurel

Hmmm, I havent seen a single one yet this year. Must be I'm lucky.

I dont spray with chemicals either. I burn the suckers off.

Seen more than I care to around here and on the look out to stop infestation before it begins, if at all possible. I don't like chemicals either and use the ol' "pick and kill" method. Only trouble is keeping an eye out for these nasties before they take over, eww yuck!

Is that what is eating the leaves on my baby dwarf red buckeye tree? I have several leaves that are half eaten.

Penny

Bob Beyfuss from Greene County Extension Office will be on WRIP 97.9 radio today (May 31) at 8:30 to discuss the caterpillar invasion. I can send some scary caterpillar pictures via email for those interested.

We were invaded last year and thought it couldn't get any worse. That is, until this year! We spend most of every day in our woods and are covered with the web and live 'pillars. The outbreak here (Otsego Co) has been mostly the "Forest Tent" with a few "Eastern Tent" also. It is like a horror show. I am typing this from my home office and I can see at least 20 on the outside of the screen!

Bt will do little at this point considering the size of the infestation. The 'capture and kill' method is a waste of time. I hate to say it, but Malathion may be the only answer. We're 100% organic here and if I lose my shade I'll be out of business. What to do, what to do?

After I first posted

Cornell Coop Extension says it's not too late to wrap your tree trunks around with burlap or duct tape and smear a wide band of Tanglefoot or vaseline on it. Caterpillars won't cross it.

In the two days since I put it on my trees, I've seen about 6 species of caterpillars trying to get up the trees...hundreds of them stranded below the tanglefoot, unable to climb over it.

Hey Wildginseng- We are in Otsego County also and I am daily picking these creatures off my clematis, rose bushes, shrubs, etc. You wouldn't happen to be the ginseng grower who sold my husband a dump truck, would you?

Or are you the ginseng grower with PANAX on your license plate?

I remember these awful things from last infestation. I wrapped my trees (and neighbors because he wouldn't) with duct tape, which worked like flypaper for the ones who did try to cross. Imagine Tanglefoot works on the same principle. Sandy