I've had an orchard for four years. This year, the tent caterpillars have decided they are taking over. Can you tell me, besides using BT, what are some other ways to get rid of these pests? Should I have sprayed with BT earlier, like before they went into pink bud, or can I spray now that they are blooming? What would make them come in this year instead of last or the previous years?
Most things have boom and bust cycles, caterpillars are no different. Wrap a kerosene soaked rag around a stick, light,and give the tents a hot foot.
You don't want to spray any insecticides while the trees are blooiming, or you will kill the benefical pollinators. You can start spraying after petal fall.
I would try to kill the caterpillar eggs next winter with dormant oil. It will smother the eggs, thus killing the pest.
Other insecticides that don't harm beneficial insects are insecticidal soaps, spinosad (Conserve), and azadirachtim (Azatin). Aso, l insecticides include carbaryl (Sevin), malathion, acephate (Orthene) and permethrin.
Sherwin D.
Just had another idea. There is a product called Tanglefoot which you can spread around the trunks in a band. The caterpillars who try and climb up the tree to lay their eggs will get stuck in it. If you have young or thin bark trees, you might want to apply the tanglefoot to a closely wrapped band. Won't help you this year, but possibly the next. This method also works for other critters that climb up your trees to lay eggs like codling moth, procession caterpillars, and ants. . Controlling ants reduces scale, aphids and mealy bug problems, as the ants protect these pests.
Sherw> I've had an orchard for four years. This year, the tent caterpillars
Sorry for the multiple replies, but I recall that I'm having difficulty this year with aphids. This could be because of the cool damp weather that has prevented the natural predators of aphids, like lady bugs and wasps from controlling their numbers. I don't know if this also holds true for tree caterpillars.
Sherwin D.
Caterpillars don't lay eggs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
OK, I got confused about the life cycle of these caterpillars. It is the moths that lay the eggs. For that case, I might try spraying with dormant oil in the late Winter or very early Spring, to smother the eggs. This would require the penetration of the tent with the sprayer wand.
For anyone interested in the life cycle of these pests, check the following web site:
Sherwin D.
From what I found, you can't just simply spray the tree with BT. You have to penetrate the tent with your spray wand to be effective.
Sherw> you can spray with Bt, a live bacteria that only targets caterpillars at any time of
Sray BT in the tent. It will only kill Caterpillers and is safe. You can get it in liquid or powder.
Mel & Donnie down in Bluebird Valley In the middle of beautiful down town Yountsville. Managers of the water works.
What is "BT" please - the full name.
I want to google it to find out more.
Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki
Sherwin D.
Thanks.
I read the MSDS and it doesn't sound too scary.
Is this stuff available to the general public, or do you need to have some sort of license to buy it? I've never seen anything in the mega-stores or the local garden stores with BT listed in the ingredients.
I have a lot of black cherry trees, and the tent caterpillars are a problem.
"Ether Jones" expounded:
BT is a biological control, it won't hurt people at all, only caterpillars.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List at
"Ether Jones" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
it's a bacteria that only affects caterpillers. it's not likely to be in any of the nasty chemical crap found at big box stores. try looking online for natural pest control or organic pest control. lee
Home Depot had 2 BT products, I bought Dipel (a powder) there. Check the websites of your personal favorite stores. It was also inexpensive. haven't used it yet but I am prepared for the onslaught my 'Whiskers' Brugmansia will likely see again this year.
Carl
Just remember that it is indiscriminate, it kills ALL caterpillars, including the butterflies and moths that you may enjoy seeing. Use it wisely and be sure to get the right variety. There are a lot of different types of Bt for different species/problems.
Could you elaborate just a bit more what you mean by "different types" of Bt?
In article , snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com says... :) :) :) Could you elaborate just a bit more what you mean by "different types" :) of Bt? :) :) B. thuringiensis var kurstaki attacks caterpillars B. thuringiensis var israelensis attcks the fly family (mosquitos) B. thuringiensis var san diego or B.t. var tenebrionis attacks beetles
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.