# Tent Catapillars



## My2cents (Apr 8, 2003)

Is there a simple natural product (home remedy) to treat localized tent catapillar infestations. I have one fruit tree these pests see to find every year. They form 1 to 2 tents within the tree during the season.


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## mquinn (Apr 8, 2003)

if they're not too high for you to get to, the quickest, easiest and totally non-toxic way to get rid of them is to just pull them out while they're all inside the nest. otherwise, you've got to get something toxic that they ingest, or bt - which is not a home remedy, but a bacterial formulation- but they still have to ingest it, or get a soap spray heavy enough on them while they're outside of the nest so that it will penetrate the hairs and get to their bodies.


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## Reed (Apr 8, 2003)

Quinn suggested a good remedy - we've used common dish soap for commercial applications on epidemic occurances involving hundreds of acres - spot treatments when I'm out consulting and people point-out a few tents here and there, I borrow a broom stick and some old cloth and light it on fire and hold it under the web for a couple seconds. Poof. Stink a little, but they pack-up and leave.


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## koyaanisqatsi (Apr 20, 2003)

*Tent Cats*

When I was young (some time ago), we had a commercial device that was similar to and about the same size as a handheld a butane torch. I believe it was to be filled with kerosene or similar flammable liquid (don't think I'd use gasoline) and lit very much like a butane torch. The device was then used be burn the tents one by one. This may not be feasible, but perhaps worth a try--just using a handheld butane torch on a pole if needed.

These type of torches may be available someplace, but we've become so dependent on chemicals that a device made for this purpose may be hard to find.

Good luck,
Pete


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## John Paul Sanborn (Apr 20, 2003)

What type of dishwash do you use Reed? I've been thinking of using it as a surfactent for organic foliar fertilization.

I seem to remeber you saying Joy lemon scent.


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## tawilson (Mar 15, 2004)

Caterpillar season is rolling around again and we had them bad last year so I thought I'd resurrect this thread to see if anyone had anymore input. I plan on using a backpack blower/sprayer this year for my campgrounds pesticide needs. I am working towards a pesticide license but it won't be this year so I will be using general use pesticides for tent caterpillars and mosquitos. Any suggestions?


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## wiley_p (Mar 15, 2004)

One completely benign method I employ at my house only, is to climb the tree 2 weeks ago and find the egg clusters and mash them, feed them to my cattle dog, burn them etc. They are easy to spot looks like gray foam, kind of firm, mostly in the crotch of a twig.


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## Guy Meilleur (Mar 15, 2004)

*Flame off!*

Stirring the webs with a stick and knocking most of them to the ground is still the best solution. How hard is it to find a long stick? Why mess with toxins or even soap on these critters? You guys with the torches, what good do you think fire does to the tree's buds? "First, do no harm"--Hippocrates.

A valued associate here is avian; encourage birds to stay around so they'll be there to eat the buggers.

wiley you got a blue heeler or a red heeler? Mine's Blue. Never thought to use him for pest control, but I'm sure he'll try it if I ask.


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## wiley_p (Mar 16, 2004)

guy He's blue, I would'nt reccommend burning them, in the tree either. I like finding the egg clusters its kind of like easter, Plus when they come out I can see how well I did in my birch trees. Dont like the soap.


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