Tent Catapillars

[coopy]

I have tent catapillars on my fruit trees. Can someone tell me how to get rid of them with out burning the nests? My father always burned the nests. Isn't there something I can use that will help get rid of them? Thanks

 

[Spotted Crow]

Feed em to the chickens...

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Tachnid Flies will kill tent caterpillars.

Neem Oil will also control them.

Planting Dill Anethum graveolens also repels tent caterpillars. I'm not sure if it's more of a preventative measure or will actually work to repel them now.

 

[Grow 4 Food]

My chickens wouldn't eat them. Actually ran the other way!!

I fed them a little dialzanon and they were all gone the next day.

 

[patandchickens]

Planting Dill Anethum graveolens also repels tent caterpillars. I'm not sure if it's more of a preventative measure or will actually work to repel them now.

AFAIK the advice to plant dill or other umbellifers (fennel, etc) to deal with caterpillars is based on the fact that a number of teensy parasitoid wasps, harmless to humans but doing Horrible Things to caterpillars, are attracted to umbellifers. I don't *think* there is any direct repellency (that's not a word, is it).

While dill etc may help a bit, it ain't going to get rid of big active tent caterpillar infestations. You can chop the branch off and drown 'em in soapy water (like in a garbage can) if you don't like burning. Anything else I know of involves Adventures in Chemistry.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Spotted Crow]

I cut the tents off and dump em in a bag...