The Forest Tent Caterpillar Source: Alberta Government Website
If you see big, dark patches wiggling and worming its way around tree bark, it’s probably a safe bet right now to assume it’s a mass of Forest Tent Caterpillars.
Several areas and cities like Red Deer, Old’s, and Devon are all advising residents of an increase in these fuzzy bugs.
The caterpillars are native to Alberta, and can be common, but once every decade or so, the population explodes, which can be referred to as an “outbreak”. These outbreaks can be the result of multiple factors like weather, tree health and predator numbers.
While essentially non-threatening to humans, these large numbers can spell trouble for tree health. The hatched eggs in the spring can lead to an entire tree having it’s leaves eaten off. Once one tree is done, the hoards of caterpillars will move to another. Healthy trees can simply grow their leaves back because of the season, but vulnerable trees, like ones impacted by drought, or compacted roots, could be put under extra stress.
The larvae stage can last for most of the life-span, with a two week long metamorphoses period, and the adult moths only live to be about 10 days.
However, with outbreak season, that could mean hundreds of moths swarming your front porch lights.
However. The caterpillars hold an important job in the ecosystem. While they are believed to be responsible for nearly 4.8 million hectares of Canadian forests in 2015, they also act as an important food source for predators, as well as their droppings being extremely effective fertilizer.
If your backyard tree seems to be not recovering from a visit from these furry creatures, it could be a sign your tree needs more help.
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