How to Destroy Tent Caterpillars
- 1). Fill the plastic bucket with bleach to within 2-inches of the bucket's rim and bring it to the tree that contains the colony. Put on the rubber gloves and remove any mature caterpillars from the tree. Drop them in the bucket to kill them quickly.
- 2). Examine the tree for egg masses, which are about an inch long and wrap around small branches. Remove them by hand and drop them into the bucket.
- 3). Examine the tree for webs, often called "tents," with caterpillars inside them. Remove the tents by hand and drop into the bucket. Uninhabited tents can be removed and disposed of however you wish.
- 4). Apply Bt pesticide to the leaves of the tree. This will kill caterpillars that feed on the treated leaves without harming other creatures.
- 5). Repeat Bt application for any other trees that you suspect are infested by or being eaten by tent caterpillars.
- 6). Dispose of bleach according to your local regulations.
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