Tent Caterpillar

	Where do they live?
	Throughout the eastern half of the United States.
	What do they eat?
	Tent caterpillars eat the leaves of many trees, including wild cherry, maple, apple, crabapple, hawthorn, peach, pear, and plum.
	Cool things to know about them
	Are they poisonous? Tent caterpillars will not bite or sting. They are not poisonous. You might not want to eat a bowlful of them, but they are completely harmless to humans (and pets). Will they kill my trees? Although tent caterpillars can eat tons of leaves, they rarely do any permanent damage to trees. They do most of their damage in the early spring, so trees are usually able to grow a second crop of leaves. Only very young trees or already weak trees are at risk. Are tent caterpillars taking over? Some years it may seem like it! Actually, the number of tent caterpillars goes up and down. About every ten years there is an extra large batch, and you may see them everywhere - on plants, sidewalks, buildings and streeets. Once they start wandering, tent caterpillars are finished eating leaves, and are only looking for a good spot to spin a cocoon. Eggs Tent caterpillars spend the winter as eggs, in groups of 150 to 400. These egg masses are covered with a black, shiny material and built around small branches. Larvae (caterpillars) The eggs hatch in early March, and the tiny caterpillars from one egg mass stay together and build a silky tent from in the crotch of a tree. During the heat of the day, or if it is rainy, the caterpillars can be found in this tent. They come out in the early morning and evening to feed on nearby leaves. As they grow larger, the caterpillars increase the size of their tent. Adults (moths) In 4 to 6 weeks, the caterpillars reach full size (2 or 2-1/2 inches long). They stop eating and begin to wander away in search of good hiding places to spin their cocoons. The adult moths emerge from the cocoons about 3 weeks later. After mating, the females lay their eggs on small branches to hatch the next spring. Their is only one generation each year.
	How do humans affect them?
	Destruction of nests Many people are afraid that tent caterpillars will kill their trees and other plants, so they destroy the tents and kill the caterpillars. Usually there is nothing to worry about. The caterpillars will eat a lot of the first leaves of spring, but most trees have no trouble producing a second batch of leaves. Loss of habitat "Development" and destruction of habitat is reducing the number of tent caterpillars. The caterpillars will only eat the leaves of certain trees. When people cut down native trees and plant other kinds instead, the tent caterpillars can't find anywhere to lay their eggs.
	What can you do to help?
	Welcome tent caterpillars to your yard Protect forested areas on your property. Plant the kinds of trees that tent caterpillars need for food (maple, wild cherry, apple, crabapple, hawthorn, peach, pear, and plum) . Don't use pesticides or other chemicals on your lawn. Greener grass may look nice, but it destroys life you may not be close to or even able to see. Spread the word Education is the best way to protect our environment and the animals who share it with us. Tell others about these amazing creatures, the problems they face, and ways they can help. People won't get excited about saving animals if they don't even know anything about them.
	Check out these great web sites:
	University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Most of the information on my page came from this site.