Fall Webworm

The webs of the fall webworm start to appear in August and the caterpillars feed on the leaves of over one hundred different species of shade trees. The larvae are about an inch long, hairy and white with some markings. They eat the epidermis of the leaves leaving the veins to be seen in skeletonized leaf shapes. After pupating, the adult moths are white with orange spots and roughly an inch and a quarter in length. Both red-headed and black-headed fall webworm are seen.

Symptoms: Silk like tents covering extremities of the tree branches are the usual telltale signs of infestation. Leaf damage may not always be visible except under the webbing. The larvae are unmistakable in their white or tan color and hairy fur like appearance.

More information: Purdue University Extension

Photo: hyg.ipm.illinois.edu & TampAGS, for AGS Media [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons