Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008. Cankerworm Spotted in Oak Tress Billy J. Gillum Lee County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources - Reports have been received by Lee County Billy J. Gillum County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources from citizens who have been seeing cankerworms in their trees. Gillum stated, "It is that time of the year when these little green worms are found dangling down on a single thread to the ground getting their webs everywhere." The extension agent explained who the Fall and Spring cankerworms crawl up the tree trunks and onto branches to lay eggs in clusters of about 100 in bark crevices or on the limbs. Spring cankerworms lay eggs in the Spring, which hatch in a few weeks, while Fall cankerworms lay eggs in the Fall, which remain on the tree from November until March or April. Both species hatch from eggs in the Spring when trees are just reaching budlereak and new foliage is expanding. Larvae feed on leaves for about 3 to 4 weeks before they drop to the ground on a silken thread and pupate in the soil. Gillum warned, "Cankerworms can be major defoliators of broad leaf trees in central Texas with widespread outbreaks occurring in several years. Caterpillars can be a nuisance when abundant. Normally defoliated trees typically survive and leaf out again. Oak and elm trees are of the more commonly attacked trees." Residents who are facing troubles with cankerworms and would like to learn more about control measures are encouraged to contact Gillum 979-542-2753. "Many folks simply tolerate them for the short time and do not spray their trees," said Gillum.

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