Sunday, August 7, 2016

Fall webworm females laying eggs to start second summer generation

    I was mowing my pecan grove  when I spotted a female fall webworm moth laying a cluster of eggs (photo at right). This egg mass represents the start of a second generation of caterpillars that will create a large white web in the canopy of a pecan tree.
    In our pecan orchard, we will not be applying an insectide specifically aimed at controlling fall webworm.
We will be spraying our pecan trees for stink bugs this week and for pecan weevil later in the month. These sprays will also serve to keep fall webworm populations under control.
    Unsprayed trees will see numerous fall webworm colonies by late August.