CLOSED: Ailanthus webwom moth - How do I get rid of them?

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gregersons3 Saint Louis, MO Jun 26, 2007

live in St. Louis, Missouri (USA) and have a bunch of these moths on my front porch. There are no plants or anything on the porch - what is attracting them and how do I get rid of them.
Thanks,
Carol

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claypa West Pottsgrove, PA(Zone 6b) Jun 26, 2007

Do you leave a porch light on? I saw a whole bunch of these at a house I was working on once, they were everywhere. We just vacuumed them up with the shop vac.

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worthuvasoul Fort Worth, TX Jun 27, 2007

I wonder if they are coming from a nearby infestation of webworms? Our Texas neighborhood was riddled with webs (and light or white-haired caterpillars) lately. Our concern is getting rid of the caterpillars, and FYI this means cutting off the branch, tearing a web open for birds to eat the insects, and/or getting some delicate, tiny wasps called wasps which destroy these pests. The Minutum trichogramma is the high-flying one (there's a low/ground level one too.) Last, spraying Bt which is selective for just caterpillars (I got some as a last resort. I think it will probably affect something somewhere in the food chain!) Well, I guess this only helps if you know where they are coming from!

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DonnaB Vancleave, MS(Zone 8b) Jun 27, 2007

I have a bunch to right now

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DonnaB Vancleave, MS(Zone 8b) Jun 27, 2007

if you use BT you will kill all cats including the Butterflies and Moths

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claypa West Pottsgrove, PA(Zone 6b) Jun 27, 2007

Ailanthus Webworms live on.... Ailanthus trees! The adult moths fly and migrate seeking more Ailanthus trees, sometimes they find them, sometimes they don't. They will fly to areas that are to cold for them to survive the winter looking for Ailanthus trees.
Gregersons3, either there are (the awful, non-native, invasive) Ailanthus trees near your house for them to live on or they are migrating. I bet St. Louis has lots of Ailanthus trees, though.

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