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Controlling Eastern Tent Caterpillars on Oak Trees

Safe, Effective Management of Spring Webworms

Small green worms making webs in Houston oaks are likely eastern tent caterpillars. They defoliate hardwoods but rarely kill trees. The claim they "eat everything in the yard" is unlikely—caterpillars are host-specific.

Treatment

Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis): Spray on new foliage when caterpillars are small. Safe for non-target organisms.
Professional help: Contact Houston Urban Forester Dallas Singleton (713-688-8932) for on-site assessment.

Monitor and treat early; healthy trees recover from defoliation.

Trees: Oak Decline After Paving: Root Damage and Recovery Plan; Oak Borer Management: Vigor, Merit Spray, and Japanese Maple Safety; Oak Wilt vs. Oak Root Rot: Diagnosis and Long-Term Management; Oak Loopers Defoliating Michigan Oak: Natural Cycles, Little Control Possible; Oak Trunk Decay: Management and Structural Support; Diagnosing and Managing Hypoxylon Canker in Oak Trees; Oak Tree Seed Drop and Leaf Shed: Normal Cycles; Assessing Risk After a Massive Oak Failure in Houston; Fall Webworms on Oak Trees in Texas; Diagnosing Oak Tree Problems in Texas

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