webworms and wasps

williamevans · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 6 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

Webworms are worse this year in my old, huge pecan tree in Dallas, Texas. Are the trichagamma (sp?) wasps available and when should they be released (I understood in fall, but just when)? There are several pecan trees on city property across street from my home. They all are heavy with webworms. Thoughts? I cannot go high enough for most web bags with trombone sprayer (now broken) or hose-end sprayer. Thanks.
William Evans.

Billusa99 · Joined: 24 Mar 2003 Posts: 291 Location: Dallas,TX

See solutions a few posts down.

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1496

William: I forgot to mention in my response to your PM: spray the lower branches anyway w/ BT (Safer Caterpillar Killer from Home Depot is one) as it will keep them from setting up camp there. You can get a 25ft hose end sprayer for 10 bucks or so too

williamevans · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 6 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

Bill:

thanks for the help.

Bill Evans

Dchall_San_Antonio · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 2001 Location: San Antonio,TEXAS

Normal paper wasps will "de-caterpillar" your tree in an hour if you can tear open the webs. Can you reach them with a couple of sticks taped together and a nail on the end of the last one?

If you have plenty of paper wasps in your neighborhood, you will never see the webs again. It's when people spray the wasps down that the webworms return.

williamevans · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 6 Location: Dallas,TEXAS

Thanks, but this is about a 50-foot pecan tree with webs up very high. I had hoped there was some type of wasp you could release before webs are formed to eliminate the larvae, or whatever. I have tried trombone sprayer, hose-end sprayer, tree trimmer that will extend about 30 feet, etc. Nothing penetrates web. Incidentally, I have a lot of wasps in my yard (one just hit me yesterday) and I don't bother them at all. I have been fully organic (molasses, beneficial nematodes, etc.) for six years. I also feed birds (bluejays, redbirds, tufted titmouse, house finch, others) regularly and have wonderful group of lizards (indoors and out). Guess I will have to get an arborist for tree or live with it. Thanks again for all who offered some help. I may try bt on lower branches as Bill suggested.
Bill Evans

Kathe Kitchens · Joined: 21 May 2003 Posts: 829 Location: Dallas,TX

Hey, kiddo! Get out your fishing line, smack on something that won't stick and try to bust those webs. I've done it a hundred times with success. If you have wasps around, they'll eat those caterpillars!

CCC/tlondon · Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 1 Location: ,

My mother used to spread mothballs around the trunks of Ash trees to kill the webworms. This worked and had no visible affect on the health of the tree. My neighbor has lots of webworms in his pecan trees and I'm expecting they will migrate to mine. I am hesitant about applying moth balls for fear of contaminating the pecans. Has anybody else heard of using moth balls and know of any long term effects?

ZIPPER · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Posts: 354 Location: San Antonio,Tx

William:
Do a 'search' on "webworms" and you'll find 5 related posts that may help you out on the how-to.

Kathe Kitchens · Joined: 21 May 2003 Posts: 829 Location: Dallas,TX

Moth balls are mostly made from napthalene which is a petroleum derivitive. The idea is to kill the moths with the fumes. I don't know anyone who would recommend using them and even if I had nothing else to use, I'd pass. I don't know about the chemical absorption into the pecans but I wouldn't want to chance it. I can't stand the smell! :?