I found these on my begonias and hydrangeas after the rain today. I don't think I have ever seen cats like this. Also, they move pretty fast for a cat type critter.
Can anyone identify this cat for me?
I think they are part of the webworms that are so prevalent right now, but I am not sure.
The webworms on my trees look like that.
Josephine.
Ick! I didn't think I had web worms in the back yard, but lo and behond there was one patch high up in one tree. I guess the rain washed them out of the tree.
Thanks,
Karen
The webworms are terrible here right now. I have seen whole trees completely defoliated. Two days ago my brother and I sprayed dish soap mixed with water on his pecan trees which had small areas infested. He says this has solved the problem for him in the past.
Ack! I've never had cats before, but I've seen a couple of these the last few days. Saw a lot of them over at Sylvia's house. They sting.
My ash tree has webworms right now, so I'll bet y'all are right. They're washing down with the rain.
Oh, Sylvia will be sick if they get to her hostas!! My neighbor has a Mulberry tree that is loaded. They crawl across the grass and up on my screens, and the side of my house. They got hold of my Bleeding Heart vine and almost deleafed it before I noticed. They are also chewing on the Verbascum Thrapsus!! They are everywhere here in DFW. Not sure if it was the mild winters or wet mild Spring weather.
They are terrible here too, they have defoliated an entire Possum Haw, that was beautiful, but I didn't want to spray poisons because of the birds and butterflies, I did spray them with soap, but it didn't help, I think they are done eating for now, at least I hope so.
The entire tree is covered with webs, I hope it will come back, they didn't eat the berries only the leaves.
I will let you know how it works out.
Josephine.
OMG! I pointed out to my MIL the bagworms in the elm that is probably 200 yards away from our garden just the other day. Yesterday we noticed they are all over the garden now.
Holy crap! Do you think that's what's eaten up my pepper plants?! She's about lost a whole rose bush. MOST things have NOT seen any problems but those two have. We did notice some strange attack on SOME of our cannas, but not all of them.
Soap and water?
About to get Dawn to the rescue!!
I'm ready to scream - they're all over the place.
Yuk ! My Climbing Iceberg is completely defoliated,
as are my hydrangeas. Disgusting little creatures.
I see I'm not the only one up at this unGodly hour...
so what do we do? just soap & water the whole yard?!
The soapy water knocked them off, but didn't kill them that I could tell. I guess we will just have to ride it out with them as Frostweed said. I would hate to spray my flower beds because of the bees, and butterflies.
An article in the paper last week said to take a stick and rip the webs open so birds could get into them. But around here they don't have to mess with the webs, they are all over the ground!
Yes it is very sad, they are terrible this year.
Well, I don't know what they are, but they sure are ugly! I haven't seen anything being eaten yet; just those ugly webs on the ash trees. But thanks to y'all, I'll be keeping my eyes open for damage.
I heard on the radio to release trichogamma wasps that like to feed on the ww.Sorry, I am not sure how to spell it.
This message was edited Jun 28, 2007 7:37 PM
The problem I see with that is they will kill the good cats too.
We are covered. I lost one hanging pot of million bells to them -- I looked and there were more webworms than leaf OR flowers on that pot, so I carried it away and said -- good, eat that, and leave everything else alone.
And don't I wish they would leave it at that.
But I think it's not likely.
I have an acquaintance who shoots the webs with a paintball gun, opening up the webs so the birds can get the worms. That seems to work very well for him! Probably a bit of fun, too. I'd like to take aim at a few of 'em about now. Do a little encouraging of the food chain, dontcha know.
This message was edited Jun 28, 2007 10:26 AM