Forest tent caterpillar US Forest Service	Forest tent caterpillar moth US Forest Service

Introduction

A cousin of the eastern tent caterpillar, the forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria) prefers hardwoods like sugar maples and oaks. The term ‘tent’ caterpillar is a little misleading as these insects don’t construct large tent-nests in the crooks of trees. Instead, they spin pad-like structures on trunks and on branches where they go to rest and to moult.

Other aspects of the forest tent caterpillar are similar to those of the eastern tent caterpillar. They may be ugly and unsightly but their defoliation rarely kills host trees unless these trees are already diseased or under stress due to climatic or other environmental factors.

What do they look like?

Forest tent caterpillars have a brownish body with bluish lines along the side. With each moult, a line of white, footprint-shaped spots becomes visible. Mature caterpillars can reach 2 inches (5 cm) in length. Moths are yellowish-brown and chunky with two dark lines on the forewings.

What is their life cycle?

Forest tent caterpillars start their lives as eggs laid in shiny brown bands of 100 to 300 around twigs. Caterpillars emerge as new leaves begin to appear and begin feeding and constructing their nests immediately. During the five or six weeks of the caterpillar stage, they go through four moults. After the last moult, the caterpillars spin yellowish cocoons in some sheltered place in which the final transformation to moth takes place. Moths emerge from the cocoons after about 10 days to mate, lay eggs and then die.

How Can I Control Forest Tent Caterpillars

Detection and Mating Disruption
To detect an outbreak and to disrupt the mating cycle of the Forest Tent Caterpillar moths, place Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth Traps around your property.

Caterpillar Control
To prevent the caterpillars from reaching the foliage, use TreeHelp Bug Band. You should use TreeHelp Bug Band to protect nearby trees as well.

To kill the caterpillars, various pesticides are available. In particular Garden Insect Spray with Spinosad (US only) and BTK Biological Insecticide are both effective and environmentally safe to use.

In addition, egg bands and the pad-like tents can be collected and destroyed.

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