Watch above: The City of Saskatoon says the number of forest tent caterpillars is high this year especially in areas where green ash tree is common.
SASKATOON – People may have noticed a few more forest tent caterpillars crawling around. The City of Saskatoon says their numbers are high this spring.
The caterpillars feed on a wide variety of deciduous trees, especially green ash. It is an annual issue for the city’s urban forest.
Trees may experience heavy defoliation but unless there are underlying issues, trees will recover and produce new leaves. The city does not control tent caterpillar populations as they typically do not impact the health of its trees.
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Larvae hatch from eggs in mid-May. When fully mature in mid-July, tent caterpillars can reach lengths of up to 50 millimetres long.
In the upcoming weeks, the insects will seek shelter, turn into pupae and emerge as adult moths.
In the meantime, homeowners can consult their local garden centre for advice on how to better protect their foliage. The city recommends spraying caterpillars with a high pressure hose to wash them off of trees.
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