Identification
The small caterpillars are mostly black with long hair. Older caterpillars have a light brown, mottled head and a dark-colored body with paired blue spots followed by paired red spots along the back.
Hosts
Spongy moth caterpillars are most commonly found on oaks, but feed on many different hardwood trees.
Biology
Eggs hatch in April. Young caterpillars feed in the tops of trees, while older caterpillars migrate up and down trees. Large areas of forests can be defoliated by heavy infestations.
Control
Removing egg masses and banding trees may help individual landscape trees; area-wide infestations may require large-scale insecticide treatments.
