The document discusses the forest tent caterpillar, a native defoliator of hardwood trees in North America. It goes through the caterpillar's life cycle and identification. Outbreaks typically occur every 10-16 years and can last 3-7 years, causing widespread defoliation. Natural controls and predators eventually cause populations to crash after outbreak peaks.
The document discusses the forest tent caterpillar, a native defoliator of hardwood trees in North America. It goes through the caterpillar's life cycle and identification. Outbreaks typically occur every 10-16 years and can last 3-7 years, causing widespread defoliation. Natural controls and predators eventually cause populations to crash after outbreak peaks.
The document discusses the forest tent caterpillar, a native defoliator of hardwood trees in North America. It goes through the caterpillar's life cycle and identification. Outbreaks typically occur every 10-16 years and can last 3-7 years, causing widespread defoliation. Natural controls and predators eventually cause populations to crash after outbreak peaks.
The document discusses the forest tent caterpillar, a native defoliator of hardwood trees in North America. It goes through the caterpillar's life cycle and identification. Outbreaks typically occur every 10-16 years and can last 3-7 years, causing widespread defoliation. Natural controls and predators eventually cause populations to crash after outbreak peaks.
The forest tent caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria, is a native defoliator of a wide variety of hardwood trees and shrubs and can be found throughout the range of all hardwood forests in North America. The caterpillars are often mistakenly called armyworms due to the way they move in large groups. Caterpillars feed primarily on aspen, birch, basswood, and oak.
Life Cycle and Identification Look-alikes
There are many types of caterpillars that can be mistaken for forest egg mass and larvae tent caterpillar. The following information will help to identify which is feeding on your trees.
Forest tent caterpillars hatch from egg masses in early to mid-May
when aspen leaves begin to open. They feed on aspen and many other deciduous trees for five to six weeks. Despite their common name, forest tent caterpillars do not make tents, but create inconspicuous silken mats on tree trunks and branches where caterpillars cluster to rest. As the caterpillars grow they consume increasing amounts of leaves, and will wander widely in search of more food. Considerable damage to foliage can occur on host trees as well as nearby vegetation. While defoliation generally does not result in tree death, it weakens trees and makes them vulnerable to disease and other insects that may eventually kill the tree. Eastern Tent Caterpillar Forest Tent Caterpillar Gypsy Moth Caterpillar forest tent caterpillar Malacosoma americanum Malacosoma disstria Lymantria dispar A) Black head; B) prominent A) Blue head; B) prominent A) Beige head with dark marks; central yellow stripe; C) small central row of yellow keyhole B) prominent blue dots; C) blue spots to the side. shapes; C) bluish sides. prominent red dots.
Outbreaks In Minnesota, outbreaks of forest tent caterpillar develop every 10 to 16 years and can last from three to seven years. During the peak of an outbreak, caterpillars can number from 1 to 4 million per acre. As caterpillars wander in search of food or places to pupate from late May Mature caterpillars are hairy and velvety-black with blue stripes on to mid-June, they become a nuisance to people living or vacationing their sides. A row of yellow keyhole-shaped markings runs along the in forested areas. Their cocoons are also a nuisance as they can be very top of the body. By mid-June, full-grown caterpillars wander from difficult to remove from the sides of buildings. Thousands of crushed trees where they have been feeding to find sheltered places to form caterpillars on roads and sidewalks can cause surfaces to become pupae inside silken cocoons. slippery. Adult moths emerge from cocoons 10 days to two weeks after pupae In the west-central counties of Minnesota, forest tent caterpillar are formed. The yellowish-brown adults fly at night and are attracted populations may synchronize with northern outbreaks or they may to lights in large numbers. They may be carried have small, localized outbreaks that pop up and collapse quickly. for miles by strong winds. Females deposit eggs These outbreaks occur in oak, basswood, and aspen, along lakeshores mainly on upper crown branches in masses of and woodlands and cover a relatively low number of acres. 100 to 350 that encircle small twigs. Eggs are coated with a frothy, glue-like substance that hardens and turns a glossy dark brown. The eggs overwinter, and larvae hatch the following spring. adult moth Forest Tent Caterpillar Peak Years, 1937-2001 Mechanical control of forest tent caterpillar is control by hand. Where practical, remove egg masses from small trees before the eggs hatch 1937 1952 1969 in early spring. Brush caterpillars and cocoons off houses and outdoor furniture with a stiff broom or brush or knock them down with a forceful spray of water. Avoid crushing caterpillars or cocoons on painted surfaces, as they may cause a stain if smeared.
Insecticide treatments are most effective against defoliation when
applied while the caterpillars are small. Treatment becomes less effective as caterpillars reach 1 inch in length. In addition, the damage to trees has already been done. Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki is a biological insecticide made from a bacterium that occurs naturally 1978 1990 2001 in the soil and is very effective against caterpillars without harming beneficial insects. Insecticidal soaps may also be used against forest tent caterpillar while conserving beneficial insects.
To minimize the nuisance of caterpillars crawling on houses and
