How can I deal with a cankerworm infestation?
Question:There are hundreds of them living in numerous trees around my city. I live next to two unbanded elm tress filled with those worms and they are driving me insane. Is there any way I can cope with this problem other than calling the city or using dangerous pesticides?
Answers:
If you feel like spending the money and buying BT (Bacillus thuringensis) that is the best way to deal with worms. Its safe but can be expensive. The BT will only kill the worms that eat it though, so when your talking a whole city its probably unfeasible, but you can probably protect the two elms you spoke of though. The biggest thing will be to get the BT onto the foliage of the trees. Should I suggest a ladder :)
go buy some bug-b-gon and spray it down! the places that are sprayed are safe after it has dried... usually only thirty minutes or so!
Cankerworms are easiest to deal with in the spring. But there are several things you can do after the fact:
(1) Attract birds to your garden and let them do the work. They don't eat just birdseed and they are major consumers of the worms. Having a clean birdbath will really bring them in.
2) Hand Pick
If infestation occurs shake the tree and the worms will dangle down on fine silken thread. Drop them in hot soapy water.
(3) Predatory Insects
Parasitic wasps (trichogramma sp) and parasitic flies are an excellent predator of these worms. Gardens Alive has Green Lacewings Chrysoperla rufilabris. Trichogramma larvae are on sale.
4) Bt
Bt sprayed on the limbs of trees will help control them if they are still small larvae. check out http://www.gardensalive.com. Their Green Step Caterpillar Control is on sale.
(5) Dormant Oil Spray
Apply as directed in the spring and again in the fall….should help overwintering larvae
6) Sticky Traps Apply tanglefoot, Stick’em or Tack Trap to the bands and apply to base of the trees in February. If you use the spray make sure you spray it at least 5-6 feet high or at least about one foot below the first limbs. This will trap the wingless female moths when they begin to ascend your tree. You can get these from http://www.planetnatural.com
Good Luck !!
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