Pretty much any kind of
wildlife intrigues me. I am not afraid of much but have a healthy respect for
things that bite or sting. I am grateful we do not have venomous snakes to
worry about in my area.
Tent caterpillars are easy to
spot in their nests.
But I have to say I am getting pretty upset
with caterpillars this spring! We have seen groves of trees denuded in a short
time. Some trees never even had the chance to unfurl their leaves. Some never
blossomed.
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| When leaves emerged this spring, they were already damaged! |
The Winter Moth
This photo is from June -
not mid-winter
The first wave of problems was caused by the Winter Moth: A
nondescript, smallish brown-gray moth that was noted in abundance last fall and
into December, in pockets in southeastern Connecticut. They flew in clouds,
caught in headlights, covered garage doors and patio windows. Then they
disappeared, but not before laying millions of eggs on the bark and buds at the
tips of branches of certain trees. They seemed to favor Oaks and fruit trees
like Crab Apples and Cherries. Despite the bitter winter the eggs survived and
as the spring enticed trees to begin their growth, the caterpillars hatched and
ate into the developing buds. As leaves unfolded they were damaged and lacey.
Their photosynthesis abilities were greatly diminished. The trees will suffer.
The caterpillars were small, smooth and green, and while I felt helpless, I
knew some birds were enjoying a spring feast. So there was a positive side to
it…maybe. But if Oaks are too weak to produce acorns, other species will be
impacted later. The trees that lost their blossoms will not produce fruit, so
the birds dependent on the berries in the fall will be severely challenged. The
birds being impacted are our own natives; the caterpillars doing the damage,
are not.
Gypsy moth caterpillars
blend into the bark.
The Winter Moth caterpillar cycle is nearly finished now.
They will drop to the ground to pupate. There are foresters very interested to
determine exactly how and where they complete this stage, as control may be
possible. But, to add insult to injury, Gypsy Moth caterpillars have made a
comeback in many areas, as well as Tent Caterpillars, easy to spot with their
webby abodes. The poor trees that are trying to re-sprout leaves, are being
eaten back yet again. There is only so much a tree can tolerate before it will
be damaged beyond recovery. The Gypsy Moth caterpillars and Tent caterpillars
are not as enticing to birds; they are too fuzzy to be palatable to most,
except Cuckoos. We can wage war on them. Tent structures can be removed and
destroyed. Gypsy Moth caterpillars often migrate up and down the tree trunks
and can often be found clustering near the base prior to pupating. I have no
problem destroying them!
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| Monarch butterflies are in serious decline! |
But then we think of our Monarchs. The
beautiful native that has enthralled people of all ages and cultures for
centuries is under siege. Their home range for winter migration is threatened
with climate change and forest destruction. The Milkweed they depend on here,
for their caterpillar food, is being decimated by habitat change and widespread
use of herbicides. There is a “lookalike” invasive plant, Swallowwort that
attracts the butterfly to lay her eggs, but the caterpillars will not be able
to survive. So dedicated nature people like me go out to
dig, propagate and save milkweed to establish big patches in attractive places
for the Monarchs to use. We rejoice to see the chewed up leaves!
Little monarch caterpillars have
big appetites!
Another caterpillar…a different response!
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| We preserve and protect Milkweed so that the Monarch butterfly can survive! |
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