How can I get rid of Tent caterpillars?

Question

Central British Columbia birch tree being eaten by caterpillars!

Answer 1

Gosh, many of these answers seem cruel and drastic; all that slashing and burning! I spray the "tents" full of caterpillars with pyrethrin. This is an organically derived poison that kills the caterpillars effectively and then quickly biodegrades. After a couple of weeks, when any residue of the spray would no longer be toxic, I go back and use a stick to knock down and scrape off the tents. Just because they're unsightly; I'm sure they would eventually disappear on their own. I don't know the extent of your problem, but if it's a few random tents here and there, you can just buy this stuff pre-mixed in a spray bottle. I know that "Safer" brand makes it. If you wait too long and the caterpillars have come out of the tents, it's harder to get to them all - but you can spray the whole tree using a hose-end sprayer - an inexpensive device that you attach to the end of your garden hose; it mixes product into the water as you spray. For this I would use a soap solution; most any soft-bodied critters will be killed by a coating of soap (while beetles will not). Put Dr. Bronner's liquid castile or Murphy's oil soap in the sprayer bottle. Spray the tree heavily and throughly; get it totally soaked and dripping with suds. Wear eye protection while spraying and if there's a breeze, don't get downwind of the job.

Answer 2

It's tough because here in our part of Ontario we have been infested with the Gypsy Moth. Meanwhile many pesticides have since been banned for health reasons. So our city had take the initiative and get permission to spray via helicopter in the wee hours of the morning to slow or end the infestation. We still see some caterpillars and the leaves on our trees are speckled with some strange growth. But that's the best we can get done here.
You should consult a pest controller to get their opinion on the infestation. It will all depend on what kind of caterpillars you have infesting your trees. The Gypsy Moth, for instance, is an alien parasite to this part of the world and can and will mess around with our ecosystem. If a similar alien parasite is in your backyard, contact your city hall for counsel on this issue.

Answer 3

Try to take as little of the branch they are on and put the tent with the caterpillars in it,on a bonfire. Or there is a spray for them as well.

Answer 4

To get rid of tent caterpillars, Wait until nightfall, when the their tent is full. Take a squirt oil can filled with motor oil and shoot some oil into the tent. This should eliminate them.

Answer 5

OK tough one, you;'ll have to cut off the affected branches. Then burn or spray them with insecticide. The tree may look funny until next year, but unless you get rid of all the caterpillars NOW they will spread to other greenery!

Answer 6

Not much you can do as the caterpillars don't have any natural preditors since they are a imported variety.....but let the local heath and wildlife people know what is going on...and if they are a local type of caterpiller then thier Natural enimies have been eraticated or been destroyed in your area of the 'woods'....

Answer 7

You need good water pressure, a spray attachment like you would use for liquid fertilizer, and Dawn or other grease-cutting soap (diluted to run freely). I have used insecticide in addition, BUT you need to be careful if you do - wind will get you as much as the worms, most times.

Answer 8

Getting Rid Of Tent Caterpillars

Answer 9

There are all kinds of sprays out there nowadays, you just need to read the labels and find out which one is right for you. Good Luck!

Answer 10

here we put a rag on a long stick, add a little diesel or coal oil and lite it up,, apply to the tent, even if you don't kill all the worms,,you destroy the nest that keeps them warm and they will die from the cold!!!