June 27, 2017 Caterpillar Update It’s a beautiful thing! Gypsy moth caterpillars have been dying by the thousands all over Rhode Island! We can thank a fungal pathogen, Entomophaga maimaiga, and a wet spring. Gypsy moth caterpillars started dying from Entomophaga mid-May. More died each week until the grand finale which occurred around June 23rd. […]

June 1, 2017 Many of your gypsy moth questions can be answered on the excellent DEM gypsy moth website: http://dem.ri.gov/programs/forestry/gypsy-moths/ I know this wet weather has been depressing and stopping everyone from working outside, but I’m feeling grateful. Wet weather is making gypsy moth caterpillars susceptible to the fungal disease, Entomophaga maimaiga. Spores of this […]

Caterpillar update May 17, 2017 Are you seeing trees or shrubs defoliated by caterpillars now? If so, these caterpillars are probably forest tent caterpillars (not to be confused with Eastern tent caterpillars that make obvious tents). At URI several oak and cherry trees have been defoliated by forest tent caterpillars this week. Last year forest […]

Gypsy moth egg masses started hatching on April 27th. Eggs were still hatching as of May 3rd. I expect it takes at least a week for all eggs to hatch. Once eggs hatch, caterpillars may remain on the mass several days before dispersing. Gypsy moth caterpillars disperse by ballooning – sending out a silken thread […]

Just a quick update on winter moth. It’s a good time to check your blueberries and see whether or not you find winter moth caterpillars. Look on the top of blueberry buds for insect frass (droppings). Consider spraying Bt or a spinosad product (Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew, Delegate, or Conserve) if you find much damage. […]

April 6, 2017 Winter moth eggs started hatching in Franklin, MA, about 10 miles north of Rhode Island. This site usually has very early egg hatch and there are hundreds of eggs to monitor. Only a very small portion of eggs have changed from orange to blue and even fewer eggs have hatched. Looking at […]

McIntosh green tip has arrived in some RI apple orchards. If your apple trees are showing green tissue and your apple trees had a lot of apple scab last year, your apple trees could be at risk for getting apple scab during today’s wet weather. Other states reported that apple scab spores have started to […]

April 3, 2017 I expect winter moth eggs to start hatching later this week or early next week in Rhode Island, except in areas close to the coast where egg hatch is always later. No eggs have started to turn blue yet, but I expect to see blue eggs soon. (Winter moth eggs turn blue […]

When winter moth eggs hatch depends on temperature and other factors. I don’t expect eggs to hatch until after red maples start blooming and when McIntosh apple buds begin to crack open and expose a little bit of green tissue.      Winter moth eggs tend to hatch at McIntosh apple ‘green tip’ and red maple […]