What's in this nest?

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Flatbedford

Minister of Fire
Mar 17, 2009
5,252
Las Vegas, NV
These nests have shown up in the last few days around my house. They remind me of Gypsy Moth nests, but look a little different from the pics I found on the net and what I remember from back in the early 80s when we had a massive infestation around here.
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I am in the Lower Hudson Valley about 35 miles North of NYC. They don't seem to prefer any particular species of tree.
 
These nests have shown up in the last few days around my house. They remind me of Gypsy Moth nests, but look a little different from the pics I found on the net and what I remember from back in the early 80s when we had a massive infestation around here.
View attachment 109164

I am in the Lower Hudson Valley about 35 miles North of NYC. They don't seem to prefer any particular species of tree.

Tent caterpillar?
 
Australian Tent Caterpillars
 
yep webworms, we see them every year from late July thru Sept. They really like the apple trees we have and I try to kill them as quickly as possible.
 
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They're in my FIL's white birch trees and the neighbor's pear trees, too....I though they were tent caterpillars til I saw the webworms and looked 'em up.....

I'll be clipping the branch they are on and putting it in the firepit this weekend......
 
These nests have shown up in the last few days around my house. They remind me of Gypsy Moth nests, but look a little different from the pics I found on the net and what I remember from back in the early 80s when we had a massive infestation around here.
View attachment 109164

I am in the Lower Hudson Valley about 35 miles North of NYC. They don't seem to prefer any particular species of tree.

I'm not sure what they are but I've got them on a lot of trees this year.
 
I don't think I have ever seen them before about a week ago.
 
Are they dark green in color? If so, that's what we've gotten in years past.
 
Are they dark green in color? If so, that's what we've gotten in years past.
I can't tell in the trees here Al.....they are inside those tents, most are too high to get a good look at them.
But this weekend, when I clip the one out of the neighbors pear tree, I'll take a look before I put 'em in the fire!
 
The only way to get rid of them when they were in our Apple tree as a kid was to take the branches down and put some Benzine on them and light it up.
 
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Anybody remember when they sold benzine at the hardware store in gallons?
 
I pull as many of the egg cases I can find off of my apple trees. They are about 3/4 inch long wrapped around branches that are 1/2 the diameter of a pencil. Once you get the hang of spotting and removing them, It's easy to reduce the infestations.


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All over the cherry tree's too
 
Hopefully this means a cold snowy winter this year.
 
Get rid of them ASAP.They can defoliate trees pretty quickly. Don't see them but every few years but a good way to remove them is making a torch -

1. take a long pole or 1 x 2 (12ft +)
2.wrap a 2 ft piece of #9 wire around one end,have remainder stick out
3. stick a corncob on the wire & dip it in oil
4.light that & burn out those webs.
 
Get rid of them ASAP.They can defoliate trees pretty quickly. Don't see them but every few years but a good way to remove them is making a torch -

1. take a long pole or 1 x 2 (12ft +)
2.wrap a 2 ft piece of #9 wire around one end,have remainder stick out
3. stick a corncob on the wire & dip it in oil
4.light that & burn out those webs.



Just be careful not to burn the tree down.

Reminds me of some kids I knew years ago who were burning Gypsy Moth nests in the woods near their house with gasoline. To make a long story short, the fire dept was eventually involved. Thankfully there was no loss of life or property.
 
Just be careful not to burn the tree down.

Reminds me of some kids I knew years ago who were burning Gypsy Moth nests in the woods near their house with gasoline. To make a long story short, the fire dept was eventually involved. Thankfully there was no loss of life or property.

Been doing this for years,never had any trouble with it.Make sure to just touch that web only & you can hear those little varmints go vvvvvvvvrrrrrrrrrrrip once they start burning & fall to the ground.Never seen any green leaves catch on fire.If they're as green as normal that little bit of oil don't burn hot enough to get them going anyway.


Don't ever remember seeing tent caterpillars in any of the 6-7 Oaks native to around here,but they seem to like Mulberry,Honey Locust quite a lot & Black Walnut occasionally.
 
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Maybe a hickory horned devil (regal moth)........ one of nature's coolest looking creatures.
 
I remember my dad wrapping a rag soaked in gas on a long stick, and bye bye caterpillars. I kept a few in a can for pets
 
Yep get rid of them, damage is there middle name.
 
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