What do you use to kill tent worms?
Question:I have tent worms in my trees. How do I kill them?
Answers:
Use BT (bacillus thurningiensis)--brand names are 'Dipel' and 'Thuricide'
or spinosad--brand names 'Fertilome' or 'Bulls-Eye'. Both poisons are considered safe for the environment and work. Or if caught early and you don't have to cut much, you can trim the tents out of the tree/bush. DON"T SET FIRE TO THE TENTS and risk setting fire to everything else!! Don't panick, most trees and bushes seem to be able to survive the defoliation, unless it's a newly planted tree, young, or it keeps getting hit by the catapillars every year.
The most certain way I know of is to use fire. Make or buy a torch, then you burn the nest - stinky but it works (don't burn self or anyone else!). Chemicals can be hit or miss or you might miss areas (or poison yourself). Be especially careful if you need to use a ladder to get to them.
If you have had rain recently it is far less likely to do any damage to the tree...don't do this if you have had a drought.
By "worms" you mean "caterpillars", the larvae of Moths and Butterflies. Knapsack sprayer with a long extended lance using any approved insecticide.
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