Eastern tent caterpillar
July 30, 2015
Malicosoma americanum
Favored host plants
Apple, crabapple, hawthorn, cherry, mountain-ash, cotoneaster and other members of the rose family. Eastern tent caterpillars overwinter in egg masses on twigs of the host plant.
Larvae normally hatch at about the same time that the host plant is beginning to leaf out. Look for young larvae around the time that Norway maple or Amelanchier are in bloom.
Management
Remove egg masses, or prune out webs while they are still small. Removing webs should be done on a cloudy or rainy day, when caterpillars are inside the web. If insecticide treatments are used, the web should be broken open, as the tents provide protection from some insecticide applications.
Print a PDF of this page: Eastern tent caterpillar