Worms in Trees

tnartist05 · #1 08-22-2007, 04:58 PM

The web and the worms that take over trees have really filled the trees here in our area. Driving in the mtns thats all you see.
My grandfather called them Tagua worms and would gather them to fish with.

The olde folks use to say,if theres alot of nest/worms in the fall,that means a bad winter but heyyyyyyyyyyy its still hot here in the mtns and the worms/nest have taken over so I guess we will have some kind of bad weather this winter??

Anyone have alot of these worms in your trees?? Tn~

AlArchie · #2 08-22-2007, 05:51 PM

We have two kinds of those "bugs" around here.
1. Tent Caterpillars.......regular residents that are here almost every year in small numbers.

2. Army worms......invasive buggers that peak every 7 to 10 years and virtually strip every deciduous tree in sight, and swarm over everything they can climb. they get so numerous that the railroad can't operate without using the sand they usually use only in winter on the tracks.

Al

Lynn O. Doughty · #3 08-22-2007, 08:03 PM

Most of our walnut trees have nests but not to many. Lots of folks try to control them but I don't bother as you'll never beat them.

Bob_in_TN · #4 08-22-2007, 08:51 PM

Hey TN, you probably could guess that I have them too. Mostly in the walnut trees. Have you seen the "all black" woolly worms, another not good sign. I've seen about 4 so far.

Joy · #5 08-22-2007, 09:35 PM

We call them bag worms. The local garden experts say it is the worst year they can recall. I usually take a long pole with a treble hook on the end and open up the bags so the birds can get to the worms. Or if I can reach the limb I cut it off and pour the worms on the driveway. The birds find them immediately.

Thomp · #6 08-23-2007, 12:06 AM

louisiana is covered with them,
they are plentiful for sure, not big enough to fish with but sure can make a mess on garden furnature,
they make a web in the trees apperently the birds dont get to them, but you can see the worms in the nests flipping ....

there in every kind of tree that has leaves here and the only way i found to control them was to clip the effected branched and burn them right then, but the trees are out of reach to prune this year,
i been keeping the trees pruned back to keep them from falling on the house, in wind storms, but the high cost of energy heck i let them go...

Paul_Guraedy · #7 08-23-2007, 07:25 AM

Not too many web worms in this part of the Ozarks this year. The nests are unsightly; but, the caterpillars do not seem to do much damage as far as vegetation is concerned, even in a year when they are numerous.

I am told that they are a favored food of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Not too many other birds can get to them. Interesting since the Cuckoo is a "shy" bird more often heard than seen. The worms, on the other hand, seem to prefer the small branches on the open side of trees. Most often around here they are found in the sassafras and persimmon trees along the edges of fields and roads.

I guess the term "army worms" is reserved for caterpillars that cause much noticeable destruction. Our army worms do not bother the trees, in fact they even avoid the vegetation under trees. We call them "army" worms because they feed "shoulder to shoulder" like troops marching in formation. They land in a field and strip it of all grass, pupate and move northward. They may land in the next field or go for miles before going back into "feeding mode". By the time they are found it is too late to spray. Just take advantage of the bare ground and plant grass seed. They are halted by cold. Can't even survive it and are killed back.

Each year they begin their "migration" down toward the gulf coast. After a cold winter that dips south, the norm in our area, they don't even make it this far north. We have not seen an infestation in 7-8 years now.

tnartist05 · #8 08-23-2007, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob_in_TN

Hey TN, you probably could guess that I have them too. Mostly in the walnut trees. Have you seen the "all black" woolly worms, another not good sign. I've seen about 4 so far.

Yea seen some of them too,Bob! Roan Mtn is 15 mins from us,course my wife works in NC,theres so many trees full this year and its still burning hot here,most times the worms are not in full force till its cooler in the early fall.

Plus the locust trees are most all brown,loosing thier leaves early,locust trees are the 1st to have green leaves in the spring & the 1st trees that thier leaves turn brown{a fact}

I dont mind a hard winter,heck Im inside anyway but hate my wife driving in it the ice & snow,she gets snow days where she works with the bad roads she has to travel on,last yr,only about 4 times she couldnt make it to work,they call her when to stay home with the rds are too bad. Then if we have a big snow,she takes me up towards the Roan where we love taken beautifull picts,we have driven every back rd there is. She was raised on the Roan.

tnartist05 · #9 08-23-2007, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul_Guraedy

Not too many web worms in this part of the Ozarks this year. The nests are unsightly; but, the caterpillars do not seem to do much damage as far as vegetation is concerned, even in a year when they are numerous.

I am told that they are a favored food of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Not too many other birds can get to them. Interesting since the Cuckoo is a "shy" bird more often heard than seen. The worms, on the other hand, seem to prefer the small branches on the open side of trees. Most often around here they are found in the sassafras and persimmon trees along the edges of fields and roads.

I guess the term "army worms" is reserved for caterpillars that cause much noticeable destruction. Our army worms do not bother the trees, in fact they even avoid the vegetation under trees. We call them "army" worms because they feed "shoulder to shoulder" like troops marching in formation. They land in a field and strip it of all grass, pupate and move northward. They may land in the next field or go for miles before going back into "feeding mode". By the time they are found it is too late to spray. Just take advantage of the bare ground and plant grass seed. They are halted by cold. Can't even survive it and are killed back.

Each year they begin their "migration" down toward the gulf coast. After a cold winter that dips south, the norm in our area, they don't even make it this far north. We have not seen an infestation in 7-8 years now.

We sure have tons of them here Paul. Thanks for your good information.

tnartist05 · #10 08-23-2007, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joy

We call them bag worms. The local garden experts say it is the worst year they can recall. I usually take a long pole with a treble hook on the end and open up the bags so the birds can get to the worms. Or if I can reach the limb I cut it off and pour the worms on the driveway. The birds find them immediately.

Danggggggg I guess we all might have a bad winter!!?? Thks Joy for your information.