mswabbie
ArboristSite Member
Are web worms worse some years than others. Does anyone have a way to control them, are there any natural enemies. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
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web worms
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Menchhofer
ArboristSite Guru
Just about any over the counter insecticide works on web worms. I have tried many different types and was only disappointed with a few......
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
Wasps are natural predators.
Guy Meilleur
Addicted to ArboristSite
Absolutely, and some birds will eat them too. The best control is a long stick to stir up the webs and knock them to the ground. THey're all over pecan trees and others this year; mild winter, lotsa rain, no drought, hwo knwos why.
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
An old man once told me the web-nest-thing(when they fall off or are knocked out) needs to be destroyed, or at chunked on the road, curb, etc. so the critters don't burrow into the ground and reproduce.
Stumper
One Man Band
A spray is available called BT. the BT stands for bacillus thuringensis. A bacteria that thrives in the intestinal tract of caterpillars. It doesn't bother anything but caterpillars (insect larvae)and grasshopppers. You spray this stuff on the leaves. The webworms eat it. They get chronic constipation ,stop eating within 24 hours and die in a day or three. What a way to go. Pretty safe stuff.
Pretty safe stuff.Dan F
ArboristSite Operative
There's also a propane torch.
Just make sure the leaves and branches aren't dry enough to ignite themselves. Keep a garden hose handy too.
This may be worth it if you want some fun, but there IS other, safer, just as effective methods, such as those that have been mentioned. I only mention this because I'm surprised no one else had. Once again-
Dan (with tounge in cheek)
Just make sure the leaves and branches aren't dry enough to ignite themselves. Keep a garden hose handy too.
This may be worth it if you want some fun, but there IS other, safer, just as effective methods, such as those that have been mentioned. I only mention this because I'm surprised no one else had. Once again-
Dan (with tounge in cheek)
DadF
ArboristSite Operative
Danf wouldn't know but great grandpaf just used a long stick with a kerosene soaked rag wrapped around the end that was set on fire
Bt works well though and is a lot safer.
Bt works well though and is a lot safer.
mswabbie
ArboristSite Member
My trees are mainly mature pecan trees, they average 40 to 50 feet tall. Do I have to just spray on the web or do I have to soak the web and have the spray touch the worms. I would appreciate any help on how to spray 40'
Thanks
Thanks
Dan F
ArboristSite Operative
If you are asking for advice on how to spray 40-50 feet in the air (in addition to your initial question), something tells me you don't have much experience with this stuff.
I don't think you will be able to spray that high without investing in some equipment that you probably don't want to purchase. The only other way I see to do it would be to climb the tree (with appropriate climbing gear) and spray that way.
Most (all?) backpack sprayers won't get much over 25' in altitude, under even ideal conditions. Handheld pumpup sprayers are around half of that hieght.
My advice would be to call someone and have them do it for you. If you can find someone local, not a national business (i.e. Bartlett, Davey, etc.), it will probably be cheaper. The big boys have higher overhead that they need to cover. I can't imagine (though I'm probably wrong) it would cost more than $50/tree to have them sprayed, but I don't know how Bt compares pricewise with what I'm used to. Even a good backpack sprayer will cost ~$80 plus the cost of the chemical/pesticide/bacteria. If you want to buy the appropriate pump, tank, hose and gun to do it yourself, you are looking at a couple thousand for that....
Make sure whoever you call is properly licensed in your state to apply pesticides. And insured. Most likely, if they are licensed to spray, they have insurance though. Here in IN, you have to have the insurance before you can get the license, I think....
Call someone, tell them what you've got, and let them know you want an estimate for spraying them with Bt. If they suggest something else, find out what it is, what it does, and what else it will kill. Don't let them talk you into spraying your lawn or anything else you don't want. In other words, don't call TrueGreen ChemLawn!
Dan
I don't think you will be able to spray that high without investing in some equipment that you probably don't want to purchase. The only other way I see to do it would be to climb the tree (with appropriate climbing gear) and spray that way.
Most (all?) backpack sprayers won't get much over 25' in altitude, under even ideal conditions. Handheld pumpup sprayers are around half of that hieght.
My advice would be to call someone and have them do it for you. If you can find someone local, not a national business (i.e. Bartlett, Davey, etc.), it will probably be cheaper. The big boys have higher overhead that they need to cover. I can't imagine (though I'm probably wrong) it would cost more than $50/tree to have them sprayed, but I don't know how Bt compares pricewise with what I'm used to. Even a good backpack sprayer will cost ~$80 plus the cost of the chemical/pesticide/bacteria. If you want to buy the appropriate pump, tank, hose and gun to do it yourself, you are looking at a couple thousand for that....
Make sure whoever you call is properly licensed in your state to apply pesticides. And insured. Most likely, if they are licensed to spray, they have insurance though. Here in IN, you have to have the insurance before you can get the license, I think....
Call someone, tell them what you've got, and let them know you want an estimate for spraying them with Bt. If they suggest something else, find out what it is, what it does, and what else it will kill. Don't let them talk you into spraying your lawn or anything else you don't want. In other words, don't call TrueGreen ChemLawn!
Dan
Guy Meilleur
Addicted to ArboristSite
Speak softly to the environment (and yourself!) and carry a big stick, 40' or so! if you're dedicated to spraying these things you will pay big$$$$$ needlessly. Just knock em out!
Kneejerk Bombas
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I don't want to come off as an someone who cares about the environment, but couldn't you just leave them alone?
Getting all worked up about an insect that chews on foliage in the fall, just before the tree will shed the leaves naturally anyway, seems like wasting excitement on something not too important. Save your excitement for things like overtriming or soil compaction
The populations of these insects can get so high that control is warrented, I just wonder if your tree's have gotten to the point where it's worth it to spray.
Getting all worked up about an insect that chews on foliage in the fall, just before the tree will shed the leaves naturally anyway, seems like wasting excitement on something not too important. Save your excitement for things like overtriming or soil compaction
The populations of these insects can get so high that control is warrented, I just wonder if your tree's have gotten to the point where it's worth it to spray.
Guy Meilleur
Addicted to ArboristSite
Mike these insects are overtimming! They come on in July and remove foliage the tree needs. Annual attacks stress the trees out, and is ugly as sin. Sourwoods here die from repeated defoliation, because they use energy to make new leaves right away. Pecans don't die but they do lose branches. Spraying is crazy I agree, when just knocking them out is so easy.
For someone who treats reduction cuts as criminal acts, you sure are tolerant of a pest that overtrims. Counseling a tree owner to tolerate an eyesore while waiting until the numbers build is like a fire department waiting for the flames to build before turning on the water.
Kneejerk Bombas
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Befor I respond to Guy, here's a good link:
http://www.gaipm.org/pecan/scout/html/webworm.html
The bugs do it because they are hungry, they don't tell the tree owner it's good for the tree.
An arborist does it because he's hungry too, he does tell the customer it's good for the tree.
In my area they are never controled. Thier populations just don't get high enough. You might see one or two nests on a tree, and rarely see them on the same tree two years in a row. That's why the nature of my first respone was interogative.
http://www.gaipm.org/pecan/scout/html/webworm.html
The bugs do it because they are hungry, they don't tell the tree owner it's good for the tree.
An arborist does it because he's hungry too, he does tell the customer it's good for the tree.
In my area they are never controled. Thier populations just don't get high enough. You might see one or two nests on a tree, and rarely see them on the same tree two years in a row. That's why the nature of my first respone was interogative.
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Guy Meilleur
Addicted to ArboristSite
Down in Kansas' latitude, they are a major problem for some trees, as in NC.
mswabbie
ArboristSite Member
I have about 80 Pecan Trees in all stages of maturity. Some of the small trees, 25' tall have had about 30 percent of their leaves eaten off by the web worms. It is not uncommon to to have 25 to 30 webs in one tree. I have been told that they will not kill the tree, but I always thought that the trees needed the leaves to grow.
Thanks
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Guy Meilleur
Addicted to ArboristSite
You are right; trees need their leaves and will spend much energy growing new ones that may be tender and damaged by frost, etc. Repeated defoliations can kill branches and be a factor in whole tree death. Be like Teddy Roosevelt: Speak softly and get a long stick or pole and knock them out before they do any more damage. It is very simple.
Stumper
One Man Band
In a small community west of here the cottonwoods were defoliated twice in one season by webworms. The next year they were defoliated again. The third year well over half of them were dead.
Mike, I DON"T tell owners that reduction cuts are good for their trees. I present it as an option for certain unusual situations and,sometimes, as an alternative to hatracking or total removal.:angel:
Mike, I DON"T tell owners that reduction cuts are good for their trees. I present it as an option for certain unusual situations and,sometimes, as an alternative to hatracking or total removal.:angel:
