THE TENT MAKERS

Garden Caregarden TriviaPlant Health CareUncategorized
Written By Peter Morris

TENT MAKERS

 Summer has come to an end and some of us are looking forward to a cooler seasonal change.  Especially the tent making caterpillars !!!!! 

Really scary picture of a tent caterpillar nest !

 

LIFECYCLE

 This is a specialized sub group of butterflies and moths, the young (caterpillars) of this group build tents and large webbed structures to hide and protect themselves from predators.  Prevalent in the Northeastern U.S., they and show up in late summer or fall.  The many species come in a variety of colors and sizes, either mottled or with patterns  -  all of which help them further hide inside the tents they make.Caterpillars encase the leaves and stems with silken threads until they form a large tent.  They stay inside the tent during the day to avoid birds, which can’t see them through the webs.   At night, they come out mainly to feed and enclose more leaves with silk.  Tents can reach several feet in length or even enclose an entire tree.  If left untreated, trees will be left totally bare of leaves. 

O M G !!!!!

 

AILANTHUS WEBWORM

 

In North east US (NYC) Some web and tent caterpillars like the Ailanthus web worm (Atteva aurea), will not only attack the specific host tree but also anything else nearby !  Many are more opportunistic and concentrate on weak or stressed trees – particularly those that are root bound or in too small a container.

Pretty Ailanthus web worm moth

 All web worms  prefer high sugar content leaves like anything in the rose family (apple, pear, peach etc.) or birch (birch, beech) and maples ! - but rarely ever go for any needled evergreen (Pines) or thick leaved plant like holly or mahonia. 

Skeletonized leaves is the result of a webworm attack!

 

If you see any in your garden - Call Plant Specialists TODAY !

We have experts that know what to do !

We have NYSDEC licensed applicators whom can treat them too !!!

Don't delay – the sooner the better !

 

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 51 YEARS !

   Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBAAll photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK   

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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