I noticed something not quite right with our little volunteer mountain laurel in the Meadow. So I looked closer and found these caterpillars. Seem to be BAD caterpillars. I've got an ID request posted on Bugguide.net. I'd like to see what the experts say and suggest before I forcibly remove them.
UPDATE May 27, 2010–Ken Wolgemuth at Bugguide.net identified these as sophora worms or more specifically genista broom (Uresiphita reversalis) moth caterpillars. According to the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Home Horticulture department, this species can harm young mountain laurels, their primary host species. If the tree is larger, it can rebound. Ours is young or at least fairly small. So sounds like I'm gonna be doing some caterpillar pickin' today!
1 comment:
Those are the same kind of caterpillars that invade my Texas Mountain Laurel every summer. Tent caterpillars, aren't they? I'll be interested to see what you learn. My laurel isn't the happiest I've seen.
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