Fall Webworm

How do I know that my landscape has fall webworms?

The fall webworm builds impressive silk tents that sometimes enclose entire branches. The tents appear in late summer or fall - hence the name fall webworm.

What will happen to my landscape? The fall webworm feeds on the leaves within its tent, which encloses foliage at the end of branches. Defoliation by fall webworm caterpillars does not usually cause damage to the tree, since they feed in late summer or fall, just before leaf drop. If they cause enough defoliation year after year, a tree may be stressed to the point of death.

What can I do about fall webworm? Prune out infested branches as soon as you notice a fall webworm tent. When the caterpillars reach their final instar, they leave the tent to feed; it will be too difficult to remove the infestation at that point. A combination of cultural and chemical control is often required to control fall webworm. Most local hardware stores carry insecticides that will control fall webworm. Because these sprays can cause injury to certain plants, read the label thoroughly before using and apply according to the directions. Depending on the severity of the damage, more than one insecticide application may be required for complete control. Combating fall webworm can be a timely and unpleasant weekend task!

How can Natural Way help? Prevention is the key in controlling fall webworm. Here at Natural Way we have certified professionals who are used to preventing and controlling insects like fall webworm. Our 6 Point Protection Program will provide several critically timed sprays to the landscape that will help control fall webworm, extend the life of the landscape and minimize overall damage.

Even though fall webworms will not generally kill a plant by themselves, the plant or tree will become more susceptible to other problems and its appearance will be unsightly.

Whatever you decide, the longer your landscape is left untreated, the greater the chance the affected trees and shrubs will undergo unrecoverable damage. Your landscape represents a growing investment worth protecting.