This little caterpillar, and its three bazillion siblings, have been dropping from every tree & bush in my yard. They drop on a thread, like little paratroopers. I've been dodging them for a week and they're still not letting up.Once they fall, they make it to the nearest plant & happily attach themselves. My weeping cherry has one abt every three inches. They are abt an inch long. I live in suburban Cincinnati if that's any help.
Thanks for any help,
Pat
Could it be a tent caterpillar?
Here's (hopefully) a close- up of the critter.
Pat
It looks like a Forest Tent caterpillar, Malacosoma disstria. The white dots on their back will look like footprints.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_tent_caterpillar
I agree with fly_girl, it is a Forest Tent caterpillar. How about adding that close-up to our BugFiles entry here: http://davesgarden.com/bf/go/677/
Thanks to all. I do think it is the forest tent caterpillar. I uploaded the image to the Bug Files--- thanks for the idea on that. I'm going to call the urban forester tomorrow & see how significant a problem this might be. This is my 2nd spring in this house, & we had some last year--- but they seem to be ten times worse this year. They're dropping out of every tree and bush I have--- pine, spruce, holly, burning bush, purple smoke bush, locust trees--- yehhhhhhhhhhcccccckkkkkkkk! I need to find my cicada hat--- very broad brimmed protection from the last cicada invasion. I thought I wouldn't need it for another 13 or 14 years!!!
Pat
