Caterpillars from Hades!!!

I know I should have taken a picture of these to help identify them, but I didn't think about it.
Ok, these caterpillars were grouping on my walnut tree, stripping leaves on branches and then moving to other branches as a group. They are very "furry" with white hair and their underbellies are a dark red.

I cut the branches off the tree where they were feasting, and threw the branches over my back fence. This evening, it was like an army marching to invade my morning glories and clematis on the fence. I battled back with an entire bottle of Triazicide (NO, it does not kill on contact) and stabbed them with sticks as they tried to make their way through the fence. Ok, a bit over the top, but I did not want them back in the yard.

Any clues what they could be? They are not tent caterpillars, and I've not witnessed anything like this before. To completely defolage a branch in a matter of hours is frightening!!

They are the dreaded Walnut Caterpillar. See how simple that was? LOL Yep, they can do a real number on your trees. Here's some good informaton for you.
http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/l-1835.html
CJ

Well, I'll see what CEEJ thinks of THIS solution, lol. Build a fire in your fireplace, take that branch full of cat's and toss them into the fireplace. NO coming back from THAT.

CEEJ, Well, at least it was "natural" solution, hehehehe.

INDI,
However, if that dont work, you can always try.......... I TRIED to RESIST, CEEJ, I really did!! lol

Thanks so much CJ!! That was very simple.
Blue, if I had a fireplace, that's what I should have done. Wouldn't want to mess up my grill that way, though.
I think my "Rambo" method worked yesterday --- there's no sign of them at all this morning. I'm sure if anyone saw me do this last night, they would have thought I'd completely lost my mind!

Blue - LOL However, I don't think your solution is radical enough in this case. These guys are mean! Can ya believe I said that? Pick that gal up off the floor. Mouth to mouth resuscitation may be needed! No volunteers, eh? Sorry, Blue. Didn't mean for it to go down this way.........

CEEJ,
SURE you didnt, :P :P

Best;
blue

BTW, blue - Where do you buy those sowbug bait boxes? You may have heard that I have a problem with them.....

CEEJ,
I get them locally, ya want some??

Best;
bluelytes

If you could just give me the name (brand, etc) I might be able to find them here or order them off the Internet.

CEEJ,
Oh, SURE, just TRY to be NICE to SOME people on here, and ya see whatcha get. :P

Brand is: Lilly Miller.

Name is: Earwig & Sowbug (Sowbug = Potato Bug = Rolly Polly, at least I think it is) Bait. Apparently it kills crickets, ants, grasshopper, cutworms, and some others, but I dont have the box in front of me just now. According to manufacturers website, the following stores have it in your area:




Big Tin Barn
2809 E Davis CONROE, TX
(936) 756-6760
9 miles away

ALSPAUGH ACE HARDWARE
2720 W LAKE HOUSTON PKY HUMBLE, TX
(281) 360-2231
13 miles away

JED'S ACE HOME CENTER
5415 ALDINE MAIL ROUTE HOUSTON, TX
(281) 442-2579
16 miles away

C & D Do it Best Hardware
314 E 11th St HOUSTON, TX
(713) 861-3551
25 miles away

Grogan Building Supply Co.
2419 Yale Street HOUSTON, TX
(713) 862-6623
25 miles away

Bering Home Center
6102 Westheimer HOUSTON, TX
(713) 785-6400
29 miles away

Stahlman Lumber Company
4007 Greenbriar HOUSTON, TX
(713) 526-1001
30 miles away

Southland Hardware
1822 Westheimer HOUSTON, TX
(713) 529-0571
30 miles away

Wagner Hardware Kirby
6111 Kirby Dr. HOUSTON, TX
(713) 528-7582
30 miles away

Bering Home Center
3900 Bissonnet HOUSTON, TX
(713) 665-0500
30 miles away

If I can be of any further assistance, please lemme know.

best;
bluelytes

Thanks bluelytes. I remember now that ceejaytown had asked for a rolly polly bait, but it was a weekend when I read the request, and I didn't have my resources, but then I forgot to look for one when I went back to work (the mind is going a bit, I think - heh), so I am glad you had one to give. I knew there were baits for them somewhere.

So, sorry about that, ceejaytown. I had this nagging feeling I was forgetting something. Thanks for providing the info, bluelytes.

Hopefully, if I remember, I'll see if there are any more brands. Hubby has a large collection of baits that are available to homeowners in places like Home Depot, Lowes, and Wal-mart that he uses for extension talks. I'll see if any others are labeled for rolly pollies.


Edited to add that when the caterpillars are smaller, Bt will work well for you (I think it's Dipel), but your problem sounds too advanced for that now. Maybe next year if they come back, you can catch them early.

This message was edited Jul 11, 2006 8:59 AM

Actually, last night, we saw some caterpillars on the tree trunk. So, we sprayed the caterpillars with soapy water and they died?!? Then, we power sprayed the trunk to remove the remains. Nary a caterpillar this morning.

But next year, I will have to do preventitive maintenance with the tree and ground so this doesn't happen again.

Golly, Blue. I didn't mean for you to do all of that work!!! I was just going to look it up myself. But many, many thanks!!!
Big Tin Barn, here I come!

Night, I've forgotten more than I remember - I'm sure. I just can remember........

CJ

CEEJ,
You might wanna CALL FIRST, to make SURE they have it. Some of the places that lillymiller SAID had it, had never heard of it. Also to check for prices. One place near me had it for 15.00, I found it for just under 7. And YW, ANYTHING for a fellow baiter, lolrof!!

NIGHT,
YMW also, glad to be of SOME service ;)

Best;
blue

indiana_lily - might I suggest vigilance instead. I know that it is up to you, but even though it seems like it would be easier just to use "preventative maintenance," sometimes that can backfire.

For example, overspraying or spraying when the target insect isn't there can kill helpful predators and parasites. Then the bad guys can show up after the chemical breaks don or gets washed away. Granted, most predators prefer the "non-fuzzy" caterpillars while your present caterpillar is fuzzy, but if you happen to get non-fuzzy ones next year, or say scales instead, you might end up making that problem worse. (An example: bad outbreaks of some soft scales like cottony cushion scale are sometimes linked to the use of chemicals either by the gardener or in areas with high mosquito spraying, because the natural predator populations are knocked down.)

If you keep an eye out for caterpillars and they do return, but you catch them when they are young, you can hit 'em with some Bt bacteria. This will not only get the caterpillars, but it won't kill other insects such as wasps, parasites, predatory bugs, predatory beetles, etc. who can then still be around to also help eat your caterpillars and other pests. Birds, too, are not affected by Bt so they can eat the dying caterpillars with no ill affects.

I know that I am known for rarely using chemicals, but in this case, I do think it to be the best strategy to wait rather than spray first, ask questions later.

This message was edited Jul 13, 2006 2:22 AM

What Night Bloom said - 'tis true indeed.

Night Bloom, point well taken.
As it turns out, even more showed up on the tree trunk yesterday. I have no clue where they came from. :( So, I'll be buying some Bt tomorrow, and hopefully that will take care of the problem.

Problem is - that when they get big, the Bt doesn't cut it. Have to get them when they're small.

The ones you are now seeing probably moved down from the leaves, where they were feeding.
They are a strange breed. They will migrate from foliage to large branches, or trunks of the tree to rest en mass and molt - together, at the same time. This would be a good time to hit them with Insecticidal soap, because their freshly molted little bodies are very vulnerable for a short period of time. Or horticultural oil.

Oh, so we were on the money with the dishsoap/water spray the other day??

If it killed them, yup. See, it won't have much effect on non-soft bodied insects. So if the cats are big, they are tougher, and can endure more. They also are getting ready to pupate and so don't eat as much and the Bt doesn't seem to do them in, like it would if they were smaller and eating ravenously. But when they are molting - splitting open their old skin and moving out with a new, very soft skin, they are more vulnerable. It hasn't had time to stiffen up yet. Like soft-shelled crabs. You can eat them shell and all, just after they've molted, but you couldn't do that once the shell has dried and hardened.... Well, you could eat them if you liked them. I have a hard time with that...

Ok, they are definitely molting now, then. Ok, they are just GROSS!! I saturated them with dishsoap/water. They didn't seem to appreciate it very much. I didn't have the stomach to power spray them off the tree, though. Maybe I'll get my daughter to do it tomorrow morning since she enjoyed doing it the other day.
I understand the molting stuff -- will try not to think about the cats the next time I eat crab though!! LOL
So, how'd you get to be such an expert, anyway? I do truly appreciate all your guidance with this.

Long story. My pleasure....

Addendum: You spray Bt on the leaves when the caterpillars are small. They have to ingest it for it to work. If you were to spray it on them, say, while they are on the tree trunk, no harm done, because they are not eating.... Am I making any sense?

CEEJ,
No, but you ARE making the case for SPRAYS that they do NOT HAVE to eat, lol. TY for your kind assistance, lol.


Best;
bluelytes

Yes, dear Blue, but the spray that they have to eat doesn't kill anything else - not beneficial bugs, not good guys, not birds. Don't have to worry about yourself, either.... Surely you put on all the protective gear that is called for on the LABEL before you set out to spray with your collection, don't you? Well, that is just not necessary with Bt. 'Cause it only kills caterpillars. And you only have to spray their food with it. Not them.

CEEJ,
To quote a famous line in a movie:
Labels, LABELS?? We dont NEED NO STINKING labels!!! hehehe

Label?? whats that??

Best;
bluelytes