Invasion of the Caterpillars
@BelleStarr (61047)
United States
May 28, 2017 2:47pm CST
I am not exactly sure what is going on but we walked out on Friday and the side of our house was covered with little bitty caterpillars. owwww we were both pretty grossed out, they appear to be falling from our oak trees.
Al got out the power washer and removed them and we went to the hardware store to get something to end the invasion. I would prefer to find a green solution but evidently, these hardy specimens need to be annihilated with chemicals.
All I know is that it is so bad that when you walk out they fall on you from the tree and I am totally grossed out so they have to be killed. Hopefully, the spray we bought will work quickly and keep them from killing our trees and flowers. Our pets are never out on this side of the house so they won't be exposed.
When I researched it I found that this invasion is not uncommon in this area but I have never seen them climbing all over the house before.
22 people like this
24 responses
@Courtlynn (66921)
• United States
28 May 17
Watch out. Those guys are giving people rashes
3 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
I try not to let them land on me but I did find them on my hubs shoulder, ugh!!
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
28 May 17
It is awful really, we power wash them off and a couple hours later they are back!! ugh!
@snowy22315 (169939)
• United States
28 May 17
Oh wow..I would not be happy to see caterpillars in the house. I have made short work of the ant or two I saw in here.
3 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
They are not in the house, that would make me have a nervous breakdown lol they are on the outside of the house.
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
28 May 17
Wow funny they are just doing it this year and not others. Wonder why?
3 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
28 May 17
It was a funny winter, not too cold and now a long cold spring I am not sure but evidently, it must be perfect conditions
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
28 May 17
The spray we bought says it will work so I am hopeful.
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
29 May 17
I remember how they would build huge nests in the trees and the town would go about and burn them. They pretty much destroy the leaves of the trees if they are left unattended.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
Yes those are gypsy moths and I am pretty sure that these may be too.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
I hope so too but we continue to have rain and we can't spray until it dries up.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458085)
• Switzerland
29 May 17
@BelleStarr This is too bad, I hope the rain stops soon.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
28 May 17
I am hoping after we get out there and spray we will be able to say the same thing.
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
28 May 17
@BelleStarr try to keep ahead of them if you can.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
Yes, it is crazy, I have never seen anywhere near this many especially clinging to the side of the house.
1 person likes this
@KristenH (33351)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
29 May 17
@BelleStarr That's insane. I hope they're not moth caterpillars. I prefer the butterfly kind.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
These are not butterflies, they produce moths, quite a different kettle of fish lol
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
29 May 17
Oh I would be so grossed out if they fell on me or had them all over the house. There are years not all years in the past 20 or 30 years where the Japanese ladybugs are that bad, just coating everything. Nasty things bit too. These are the orange ladybugs not the normal nice gentle red ladybugs.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
When I was a kid we used to get tons of Japanese beetles which ate the heck out of all our plants. I haven't seen one in years.
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
29 May 17
Sounds itchy.right now I am dealing with the invasion of little red ants
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
That is one thing we don't have here, in Florida they have fire ants which are red and bite.
1 person likes this
@workathomefan (8957)
• Prairieville, Louisiana
28 May 17
I only like caterpillars when they turn into butterflies but caterpillars sting.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
These will only turn into moths not butterflies so no value what so ever!
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
28 May 17
I have had them fall on me before too. Hope it is done quickly so you don't have to put up with them anymore.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (159008)
• Boise, Idaho
30 May 17
@BelleStarr ..........Hopefully that happens soon for you.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
Thank you , if it would just stop raining we could spray but we have to wait until things dry up.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
28 May 17
Hope you can find a good solution to get rid of them and so that they don´t come back.
I know that they can damage things same as ants.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
29 May 17
@BelleStarr
Did you manage to control the situation then.
Hope so it must be very stressful that kind of thing happening all of a sudden.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
Yes they will hurt the trees and the flowers if they are not stopped.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
28 May 17
It rather freaked me out when I first noticed, it happen with the period of a few hours, they must have all hatched at once.
@DianneN (246730)
• United States
28 May 17
Ewwww! I hope your chemicals wipe them out. So far, so good here. We use a Green company to take care of our new lawns. I really didn't think it would do any good, but it works. We still keep Doodles off the lawns for 24 hours when we have a monthly treatment.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
29 May 17
I would prefer to be green as well but I am rather afraid these require something rather more aggressive. They are horrible.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246730)
• United States
31 May 17
@BelleStarr Just keep those nasty caterpillars up north! Lol!
@YouKnowWho (324)
• Philippines
2 Jun 17
Tines like that just come and go. We experience blackbug invasion too.
1 person likes this
