Just some thoughts on the Tent caterpillars that are migrating from their nests…We’ve been heading into the upswing of their 7 to 9 (or so) year cycle. It’s amazing how many there can be. Some of us who have lived here a long time have been able to observe these cycles. Remember 1985? Cars were skidding on the streets because of the thickness of their bodies.
I think it helps to know some fun facts about our creepy crawly relatives and the meaningful place they hold in the bio-system. Their host plant is the Red Alder (called “red” because of how they look in the spring when the buds are swelling.) In the years when the Tent caterpillars’ numbers are large, they all but completely defoliate the alders. This opens up the forest floor to sun, rain and air circulation.
If you’d like to know more about tent caterpillars and how to deal with them organically, see our Expert Article on Tent Caterpillars.
