The Spongy Moth Caterpillar Has Invaded The Capital Region And Needs To Die

SPONGY MOTH CATERPILLARS NEED TO DIE. Most of the trees in our yards are admired from a distance but you should take a closer look. The Spongy Moth Caterpillar are in their most active phase right now and they are destroying your trees.

The Spongy Moth Caterpillar typically hatch in April and are most active in May and June. What these creatures are doing is eating the leaves off of your favorite trees causing extreme defoliation and eventual death to the tree.

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According to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) the Spongy Moth Caterpillar, formerly the Gypsy Moth Caterpillar, is an unwanted guest from France that loves to eat the leaves of oak, maple, apple, crabapple, hickory, basswood, aspen, willow, birch, pine, spruce, hemlock, and more.

Spongy moths were brought to America in an attempt to breed them with silkworms. That failed and some of the Spongy Moth escaped. The have now "naturalized" in our forest communities and so they will always be around but you can squish them right out of your yard.

Yes, squishing these invasive caterpillars is the most effective way to start getting rid of them from your property, especially when populations are low or when you have just a few trees you want to protect.

Many New Yorkers place sticky barrier bands around the tree's trunk to catch caterpillars when they hatch and crawl. In mid-June when caterpillars are larger, replace sticky/barrier bands with a burlap trap.