Tent caterpillar season How do you deal with them

[greenbud]

I like to burn them out. but was wondering how you deal with them.

The fun way (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwjYzXbfzqU&list=UU00wLXIdlBuWY6_7F4iuScg&index=1&feature=plcp)

[Link23]

i do the same thing i burn them out, my nephews love doing it

Link23

[greenbud]

Im debating Crafting sum form of cheap flame thrower. They are predicted to be bad in my area this year and are showing up almost a month early.

[firefly1957]

The few I have seen this year I use a stick to squash all of them and tear the nest up. I have noticed the crows tearing the nests up also I have never seen this before. A few years ago they were real bad here I sprayed them with different insecticides we need DDT back it is the best.

[frkelly74]

A 12 guage with lots of #12 shot. Muzzle loader would be most spectacular.

[greenbud]

A 12 guage with lots of #12 shot. Muzzle loader would be most spectacular.

I have a 410 with number 8 skeat now that might be cool to get a video of on the next one.

[Dorf]

I used a Bernz-o-matic on them this year, at least on those I could reach. For higher ones, I think the torch duct taped to a broom handle would work nicely. We got them back in March down here, but they're pretty well "gone by " now.

[oldred]

Just use a cheap plastic pump-up sprayer and some fruit tree spray or liquid Sevin, sure beats using fire!

[greenbud]

Just use a cheap plastic pump-up sprayer and some fruit tree spray or liquid Sevin, sure beats using fire!

Fire wins

[firefly1957]

For large nests to high for sprayer I have used the 12 ga it often drops the branch but does less damage than the insects in the long run.....and besides it is fun!

[imashooter2]

Fire wins

I noticed fire almost won twice in only a minute 26 of video...

[greenbud]

minor flash burn good for the heart

[44man]

Sevin works and there are others called eight or nine that work fine too. Just too many to reach so a sprayer does the job.
I would gather what I could reach, toss in the gravel road, pour gas on them and torch them off. :bigsmyl2:

[sav300]

What is a tent caterpillar??
A pic would be nice.
Thanks

[41 mag fan]

Haven't seen any here in S In...yet. But they were all over up in Ft McCoy

[midnight]

When I was a Boy Scout in the 50s we used to go out and cut them down and burn them. It was a public service project.

Bob

[zuke]

Just spray with wd-40 and walk away. Kill's'em on contact

[lavenatti]

Some insecticide on the nest does the trick for me. I have to admit, fire is more fun.

A leaf blower can get a lot of powdered insecticide up into the trees, do it when the sun is going down though, wouldn't want the fire department called....:)

[greenbud]

Some insecticide on the nest does the trick for me. I have to admit, fire is more fun.

A leaf blower can get a lot of powdered insecticide up into the trees, do it when the sun is going down though, wouldn't want the fire department called....:)

now that is a great idea. I may have to try that next time they are to high to reach with a pole..

[oldred]

I was also going to suggest the leaf blower trick but unless it's a small tree that method can get expensive unless you can find some really cheap dust. WD40 is a terrible idea since it can, and will, do serious damage to the tree or plant being sprayed and in fact it can easily kill a small tree. I have a beautiful large Maple in my front yard with a large scar and rotting wood near the base that my idiot FIL sprayed penetrating oil on killing insects, within two weeks the bark peeled off over the sprayed area leaving the wood underneath exposed- do not spray ANY kind of solvents like WD40, Liquid Wrench, etc on any plant or tree you do not want damaged!!! Obviously fire also will damage a tree and if damage from tent caterpillars to the plant is a concern I just can't understand why anyone would use fire in an attempt to control them? Many insecticides can be used, even the household "spray bombs" are very effective for smaller trees and very large infestations can easily be controlled with a small inexpensive (less than $10 at Wally World) pump-up sprayer.

[runfiverun]

if these things are so easy to kill why are there so many of them?
a picture would be cool,i have no idea what y'all are talking about.

[oldred]

if these things are so easy to kill why are there so many of them?
a picture would be cool,i have no idea what y'all are talking about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tent_caterpillar

Obviously you are lucky enough to not have them! These pests can strip a tree of it's leaves in a matter of just a few days and can do serious damage to fruit trees and ornamental trees.

[rexherring]

The Flame Thrower looks very gratifying but it's been so dry here we'd start a range fire. I just spray with Sevin or Malathion and cut them out.

[Charley]

Pick up some BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis) concentrate, available at most decent nurserys and many ag businesses. BT is a bacterial agent, gives many insect larva, including the caterpillar stage of most moths a nasty disease. Pretty much harmless to mammals and most everything else.
One comon trade name is Di-Pel.

[Jeffrey]

Many caterpillars must go to the ground for moisture in dry weather. A piece of aluminum foil wrapped around the tree and secured with duct or beageling tape will let them go down but not get back up - too slippery.
Jeffrey

[10x]

I have great luck with this stuff -a microbial insecticide, Bacillus thuringiensis . The catepillar dies but nothing else does

[Hamish]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwjYzXbfzqU&list=UU00wLXIdlBuWY6_7F4iuScg&index=1&feature=plcp

Uh, dead tree, hello?

Does nobody fish?????

[greenbud]

you would not want to fish with these they can cause masive rashes if they get on your skin

[Reload3006]

I just spray them with insecticide. Kills them just fine and doesn't harm my trees. I am all for better living through modern chemistry. LOL

[.22-10-45]

Hello, everyone. Today, I discovered them on a burning bush next to house, since we have pets, I really didn't want to use insecticides..so..I mixed up liquid laundry detergent & Murfy's oil soap, in a 5 gallon bucket of hottest tap water. Used a hand operated "trombone" sprayer.
Killed on contact. hosed down entire tree. Few hours later, we had a nice rain, so probably washed off anything too harmful for bush. Saw on net water-based formula of hot chillies or garlick.

[FWest]

I worked as a landscaper when I was young. I was told to mix leaf chewing tobacco and lemon dish soap with water and spray the juice on any plant that was being eaten by insects. It worked for Jap Beetles on roses and other flowers.

[.22-10-45]

Hello, Well. I can tell you what doesn't work! Hot soapy water killed off many, but by noon, they were out again in full force. Next day, bought cheapest, hottest, pepper chilli pepper sauce i could find, mixed with soap & hot tap water..the fumes off this stuff made me choke! Hosed down bush with two applications..many dead on contact..by noon ..like I haden't even been there! These critters are tough!

[just.don]

I cut the infested portion of the limb off the tree and burn it.

[oldred]

Sevin is relatively non-toxic to people and pets, heck it was and maybe still is recommended on the label to be used as flea powder on dogs-the powder type anyway. Just toss a little dust on the "tent" or mix a small amount of the spray type and the problem will be solved, nothing gets hurt except caterpillars and other insects. Simple VERY effective and it just takes a little bit.