Tree Worms
Bagworms feed on Evergreens and prefer Arborvitae and Spruce. They will eat Cyprus, Juniper, and if necessary, any evergreen plant. This pest has become epidemic in Allen County and Northern Indiana and can literally remove all the needles of a tree in three years. This means the tree is lost and has to be removed and replaced. The insect can be identified by a conical bag made of the needles of the tree. These become evident in mid-July and will be about 1/8 inch long. Over the next four weeks, they will grow to be over an inch long. The larger the larvae, the more feeding damage occurs. Topical sprays over the entire tree or shrub are recommended during the second or third week of July. TreeMasters utilizes pyrethrin which offers full control with the lowest environmental impact.
Mimosa Webworm is a pest focused almost exclusively on Honey Locust trees. They produce a small netted bag of leaves at the end of twigs. Because there are two generations a year, by August, many trees are completely covered with webs. One negative feature is that many times the worms will dangle from silken threads, creating a distasteful landscape experience. When ready to pupate, the worms will attach a silken cocoon to trees, houses, and any other non-moving hardscapes adjacent to the tree; these become extremely difficult to remove. TreeMasters relies on systemic insecticides which have no environmental consequences outside the trees and only impact those insects feeding on the leaves.
Fall webworms are a “netting insect” that spin large, silken bags over the branches of hickory and walnut trees. This late-summer pest produces little negative consequence for the trees but can be perceived as a negative feature in a cultured landscape. Control is usually provided by systemic injections identical to the Mimosa Webworm.
The population of all three insects has grown greatly in Indiana over the past decade. If you have questions or concerns about your trees, contact us today.
Mimosa Webworm is a pest focused almost exclusively on Honey Locust trees. They produce a small netted bag of leaves at the end of twigs. Because there are two generations a year, by August, many trees are completely covered with webs. One negative feature is that many times the worms will dangle from silken threads, creating a distasteful landscape experience. When ready to pupate, the worms will attach a silken cocoon to trees, houses, and any other non-moving hardscapes adjacent to the tree; these become extremely difficult to remove. TreeMasters relies on systemic insecticides which have no environmental consequences outside the trees and only impact those insects feeding on the leaves.
Fall webworms are a “netting insect” that spin large, silken bags over the branches of hickory and walnut trees. This late-summer pest produces little negative consequence for the trees but can be perceived as a negative feature in a cultured landscape. Control is usually provided by systemic injections identical to the Mimosa Webworm.
The population of all three insects has grown greatly in Indiana over the past decade. If you have questions or concerns about your trees, contact us today.
