Spongy Moth Caterpillar Infestation - Ask Extension
Hello! We are in Ingham county and have a very serious caterpillar infestation this year, we have lived in our house for 7 years and this is the worst...
Knowledgebase
Spongy Moth Caterpillar Infestation #869697
Asked May 22, 2024, 9:26 PM EDT
Hello! We are in Ingham county and have a very serious caterpillar infestation this year, we have lived in our house for 7 years and this is the worst by far. We are looking for any help we can get in getting them under control, we can’t even go outside and play in our own yard right now.
Ingham County Michigan
Expert Response
Parts of mid-Michigan are inundated with Spongy moth right now. The bad news is that there's not much to be done to control the issue for the next 2-3 weeks. When the larvae are too large, insecticide efficacy decreases. After those few weeks, they'll pupate and turn into adults.
If you have trees covered with caterpillars, you can set up sticky bands or burlap wraps to catch, collect, and kill the climbing ones. See here for how to do this: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/using-bands-to-protect-shade-trees-from-spongy-moth
If your trees are more than 10-15 feet, its unlikely that you'll achieve good coverage without aerial spraying (too late in season for this) or an arborist who has the correct equipment to have the insecticide reach and kill the caterpillars that are high in the foliage.
In August, you'll want to look at tree trunks for evidence of egg masses and scrape those off into soapy water. This will help reduce the numbers that will emerge in the next season.
See here for additional information: https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/spongymothinwisconsin/pest-management-2/management-guide-for-homeowners/
If you have trees covered with caterpillars, you can set up sticky bands or burlap wraps to catch, collect, and kill the climbing ones. See here for how to do this: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/using-bands-to-protect-shade-trees-from-spongy-moth
If your trees are more than 10-15 feet, its unlikely that you'll achieve good coverage without aerial spraying (too late in season for this) or an arborist who has the correct equipment to have the insecticide reach and kill the caterpillars that are high in the foliage.
In August, you'll want to look at tree trunks for evidence of egg masses and scrape those off into soapy water. This will help reduce the numbers that will emerge in the next season.
See here for additional information: https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/spongymothinwisconsin/pest-management-2/management-guide-for-homeowners/
