While traveling last month in the Carolinas and Virginia states, you couldn’t help noticing these brown silky substances attached to the trees and in large numbers. A caterpillar species builds unsightly silk tents in cherry, apple, and other landscape trees in early spring. The caterpillars feed on leaves of these host trees, and may cause significant defoliation when present in large numbers. Caterpillars wander when they are ready to pupate, crawling on houses and decks.
How do you control those pesky caterpillars and prevent deforestation? Good question for this sight is endless for miles and miles from the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway to the Skyline Drive in Virginia and crossing the Shenandoah National Park.
I touched one of those silky substances, I didn’t find any caterpillars inside but I was amazed by the toughness of the silk material.