Catalpa tree worms swarm catalpa trees during the summer months , causing damage that can finally head to defoliation . These wolfish pests can dissemble aboriginal trees , such as the northern catalpa ( Catalpa speciosa ; USDA zones 4 to 8) and southern catalpa ( Catalpa bignonioides ; zones 5 to 9 ) , as well as the Chinese catalpa ( Catalpa ovata ; zones 4 to 8) , all of which are plebeian landscape gardening trees grown for their attractive leaf and showy flower .
Dealing with catalpa , or catawba , worms at house takes a multi - biramous approach that focus on good ethnical pattern to keep the tree diagram sizable , which will avail it survive an infestation . Killing catalpa worms is not always the unspoiled option , because it is not only very costly , but it ’s also difficult to do because mature catalpa trees are expectant and expensive to treat with insecticide .
Tip
The Northern catalpa Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is sometimes bed as a " cigar tree " for its long seedpod .
All About Catalpa Worms
Catalpa worms are the offspring of catalpa sphinx moths ( Ceratomia catalpae ) , which are a variety of hawk moth native to the Southeastern United States . They are the only species of moth to feed on catalpa Tree , so it ’s not difficult to identify which insect is bust up havoc on your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
- The moth are harmless , but they lie 100s or even 1,000s of eggs on the undersides of leaves , twigs and branches , * * which eventually hatch into caterpillars or louse that tip on the Indian bean .
In large bit , the worms can stress a tree diagram to the distributor point that it swing smaller branch , or it can induce the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree to defoliate completely . Some Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree will defoliate multiple time , each time resile with a fresh hot flash of foliage and no long - go scathe . Other catalpa trees will decline and die after multiple infestation .
Catalpa moth larvae or pupae make good fishing decoy for anglerfish and fisher , because they pull in fish such as largemouth black bass bass and catfish . This make the tree the plebeian name " Pisces lure tree diagram . "
Use Good Cultural Practices
Catalpa trees that are stressed from poor develop conditions or spoilt cultural practices are more susceptible to serious problem and can die from a regretful catalpa worm infestation . hold on your tree healthy will not only help it look good , it will also allow it to withstand a catalpa moth infestation with minimal damage .
Growing Conditions
Catalpa tree farm quickly and adapt to a wide range of mountains of spring up conditions , but they should be planted under the good potential conditions to encourage unattackable , healthy outgrowth .
Warning
Catalpa tree diagram are invasive in many areas , including Maryland and California .
Care and Maintenance
The right care and sustenance make all the difference when it comes to keeping your catalpa Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree sizable and immune to damage from catalpa moth caterpillars .
Watch your tree for signs of accent , such as yellow , drooping or strike down parting . Dry soil , too much fertilizer and catalpa insect could all be the culprit .
Manual Removal Methods
Good cultural practices will help forestall serious damage from catalpa worm infestation , but removing the pests from young or modest catalpa Tree is also a good idea because it will foreclose damage in the first lieu .
Using the Right Treatment
- cover a catalpa louse infestation with insecticide or pesticides should only be done as a last resort . * * You are more likely to have success treat young tree diagram due to their small , more manageable size , because mature catalpa Tree are only too large to effectively treat .
The only effective discussion for catalpa worms is aBacillus thuringiensis - base insect powder , which is often shortened to the nameBt . Specifically , you must use a variety of Bt called Btk , which isBacillus thuringiensiskurstaki . Btk - based insecticide works only on the larva of catalpa sphinx moth , so it must be applied in spring before they pupate .
Saturate the entire Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree with a Btk - based insecticide . The undersides of catalpa leaf are an especially rough-cut hiding spot for these plague , so pay off peculiar aid to those areas when applying it . Repeat applications of Btk are not necessary , but the solution takes time to work .
Btk - found insect powder is not harmful to humanity , pets and good worm , but it must be applied according to the manufacturing business ’s directions .
