Infested Tree

It only took 5 days for this tree to become so choked. Anybody know what it is?

Looks like our Fall Army Worms. There is another type of worm tho that makes "tree nests" like that...either of them will really defoliate a tree.

More often than not the tree's life is not severely infected. Usually by this time of year the tree has stored up enuff energy that it will survive the winter and leaf out again next yr.

Pulling the nests down and destroying the worms will help, if you are too worried about them. A good spray of Bt should also work, if you have a sprayer that will shoot that high up.

That also looks like gypsy moth infestation, similar to the tent caterpillar. It can kill your tree unless it is very healthy. Here's a few links:

http://www.farmdisasters.org/news/news.php?entry=21

Comparison of Forest Tent Caterpillars and Gypsy Moths:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fid/may02/feature.html

This link contains some hints for eradication:
http://www.village.lincolnshire.il.us/services/forestry-gypsymoths.html

Good links, darius. And good pics on how to tell the difference in the two 'pillars.

Thanks, guys. Fortunately, this tree isn't mine. Its across the road from the post office where I get my mail. Watching the nest grow so fast was fascinating. Here's close-up just one part of the tree. BTW, Ive spent the last day getting rid of another kind of pest - I got the MS Blaster worm. I hope you all do not.

I saw that in your first pic, way at the top and thought "what a huge nest"...your close-up certainly verifies that! Mercy! Is that an oak tree, by the way?

Another by the way, I had that virus also. Took me quite a while to figger out how to get it out of there. Glad you are now clean.

I'm not sure what kind of trees they are, Shoe, but I'll find out. Did you notice that the infestation hasn't spread to the adjacent tree?. I only live a short distance away as the crow flies and I'm a little worried about this thing spreading. Look at all the trees behind my house. Can you imagine them looking like that mess in the previous photos? I have a pretty good high pressure sprayer, and I'm thinking about offering to spray for him. Problem is, he raises pedigreed sheep right there, so BT is the only nontoxic solution. EXPENSIVE! We'll see.

Darius, thanks for the links, especially on eradication

This message was edited Saturday, Aug 16th 2:50 PM

What a nice house! And pickett fence to boot!

I wouldn't worry too much...we have ten acres here and the tent caterpillars and such have never overtaken us. I bet it would take many yrs for the c'pillars to infest the number trees you have.

Don't know if this helps rbb, but we have those here too in MD on our cherry trees. We rip open the webbing, cocoons, etc and the birds make a quick meal on the caterpillars - all gone in about 24 hours!

Thanks, shoe. What's special about those trees is that they are part of a rare stand of virgin coastal climax forest. We have mature oaks, hickories, wallnuts, tulip trees, dogwoods, hollies and maples. Just behind the tree line, the ground drops sharply 45 feet down to sea level. There, 2 creeks come together and form a fresh water marsh which drains into a tidal salt water creek surrounded by healthy salt water marshes. As you can imagine, it supports all sorts of understory plants and too many critters to name. My wife and I majored in biology; so, for us this is like having a house in the middle of a huge, living laboratory. We love this place and we'll do anything to preserve it. Fortunately, the forest is protected by law from being developed. We couldn't remove the first tree when we built this house (didn't want to anyhow).

Dea, I do the same with tent catapillers in the spring. The cuckoos love them. You live in a beautiful area. Too bad its gotten so congested. My daughter lives right downtown on Market Street and loves it.