Posts Tagged ‘Caterpillars’
Caterpillar Pictures
Terrie Greco, B.A.; HLT Dip.
I got a lot of positive feedback on last week’s “Caterpillar Brigade” post. I also received numerous emails requesting photographs. So I put some together here for you:
Image 1 – Malacosoma americanum: Eastern Tent Caterpillar ‘tent’ Webs
Note that the Eastern Tent Caterpillar always produces a silken web in the forks of tree branches. During the day, the caterpillar leaves the nest to feed and returns at night. The nests grow larger as the caterpillars mature and need more room. Constant home renovation!
Photo courtesy of John Himmelman, childrens author, illustrator and naturalist
Image 2 – Malacosoma americanum: Eastern Tent Caterpillar Egg Bands
Note that compared to the Forest Tent Caterpillar egg bands, the edges are more rounded.
Photo courtesy of Brian Kunkel, University of Delaware, www.bugwood.org
Image 3 – Malacosoma americanum: Eastern Tent Caterpillar Mature Larva
Note that the Eastern Tent Caterpillar has a white stripe down the back, blue spots on either side and plenty of hairs (setae).
Photo courtesy of David Cappaert, Michigan State University, www.bugwood.org
Image 4 – Malacosoma americanum: Eastern Tent Caterpillar Adult Moth
Note the white forewing stripes on Estern Tent Caterpillar compared to the darkish stripes on Forest Tent Caterpillar. The adult female of the Eastern Tent lays eggs in early to mid summer in a band around twigs. The eggs over winter and hatch in early spring just before bud burst. This pest prefers apples, crabapples and cherry trees.
Photo courtesy of John Himmelman, author, illustrator and naturalist
Image 5 – Malacosoma disstria: Forest Tent Caterpillar egg band on twig. Pruning off the egg bands in spring will do much to reduce the population. Compared to Eastern Tent Caterpillar egg bands, the edges of the egg band is square rather than rounded.
Photo courtesy of Thérèse Arcand, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service
Image 6 – Malacosoma disstria: Forest Tent Caterpillar mature larva – This caterpillar can be identified by the white ‘keyhole’ or ‘footprint’ shaped spots down the back and a blue stripe on either side of the body.
Photo courtesy of John Himmelman, author, illustrator and naturalist
Image 7 – Malacosoma disstria: Forest Tent Caterpillar Female Adult – The adult female moth lays hundreds of eggs on a small band around tree twigs in mid-summer. The eggs over winter and hatch in the spring. Note the dark beige coloured wings with the two dark downward facingbands on the forewings.
Photo courtesy of John Himmelman , author, illustrator and naturalist
Image 8 – Hyphantria cunea: Fall Webworm Tents – Compared to the webs of the Eastern Tent Caterpillar, which are produced in the forks of trees, Fall Webworm forms silken tents at the ends of branches. The larva feeds inside the tent, destroying all the foliage in the web before moving to another location on the tree.
Photo courtesy of G. Keith Douce, University of Georgia, www.bugwood.org
Image 9 – Hyphantria cunea: Fall Webworm Larva – The larva are creamy white with prominent black bumps on the body, and extremely hairy. If I were a bird – I would have trouble swallowing this caterpillar!
Photo courtesy of John Himmelman , author, illustrator and naturalist
Image 10 – Hyphantria cunea: Fall Webworm Adult Laying Eggs – The adult female lays a large mass of eggs on the underside of leaves of White Ash, Birch, Willow – to name just a few hosts. The egg masses can easily be missed by a homeowner. The adult is either pure white or has a scattering of small brownish/black markings on the white wings.
Photo courtesy of H C Ellis, University of Georgia, www.bugwood.org
Image 11 – Hyphantria cunea: Fall Webworm Adult –Portrait of a moth…you gotta love that face – and wait – is that hairstyle a mullet??? Joking aside – it’s an amazing photo of a moment in nature captured in time…
Photo courtesy of John Himmelman , author, illustrator and naturalist
We are very grateful to John Himmelman for generously offering permission for the use of his moth photographs on our website. John is a well known childrens author, illustrator and naturalist. Check out his websites below!
What Is Integrated Pest Management?
Terrie Greco, B.A.; HLT Dip.
Along with Plant Health Care concepts, gardeners should also familiarize themselves with the concepts of Integrated Pest Management.
IPM could be considered a ‘reactive approach’, but not in a negative sense. It simply means that when a pest problem exists, there is a systematic approach to dealing with it quickly and safely.
1) Check your maintenance program – poor garden maintenance is often responsible for the establishment of a pest or disease problem.
2) If the problems are minor – try mechanical traps – they’re inexpensive and effective. For example – tie folded bands of burlap around tree trunks to prevent caterpillars from migrating before pupating. Sink dishes of stale beer at the soil level to trap slugs. Lay short lengths of old hose in the garden where earwigs will hide during the day. These ‘collected’ pests can be dumped into a bucket of water mixed with some insecticidal soap.
3) Release beneficial insects into the yard and develop a habitat in which they will establish a regular presence on your property – a water source and flowering plants to provide nectar is a good start, along with encouraging bird populations.
4) Finally, if the pest problems persist – use an organic pesticide such as insecticidal soap, diatomaceous earth or horticultural oil.
The idea behind an IPM program is to start with the safest and easiest methods to suppress, not eradicate – existing pest populations. Insects have natural ‘boom and bust’ cycles – sometimes even our best maintenance efforts require additional help.