Are tent caterpillars taking over?
Some years it may seem like it! Actually, the number of tent caterpillars goes up and down. About every ten years there is an extra large batch, and you may see them everywhere – on plants, sidewalks, buildings and streeets. Once they start wandering, tent caterpillars are finished eating leaves, and are only looking for a good spot to spin a cocoon. Eggs Tent caterpillars spend the winter as eggs, in groups of 150 to 400. These egg masses are covered with a black, shiny material and built around small branches. Larvae (caterpillars) The eggs hatch in early March, and the tiny caterpillars from one egg mass stay together and build a silky tent from in the crotch of a tree. During the heat of the day, or if it is rainy, the caterpillars can be found in this tent. They come out in the early morning and evening to feed on nearby leaves. As they grow larger, the caterpillars increase the size of their tent. Adults (moths) In 4 to 6 weeks, the caterpillars reach full size (2 or 2-1/2 inches
