Insect Gallery

Fall Webworm
Image courtesy of Becky Carroll, Oklahoma State University

Webworm larva
Image courtesy of Charles Rohla

Pecan tent caterpillars (webworms)
Image courtesy of Charlie Graham

Insect Details

Name: Webworms

Latin Name: Hyphantria cunea

Description: The adults are moths with a wingspan of about 1 inch. They are white and often have black or brown spots on their forewings. Mature larvae are yellow, black-spotted, covered with white and black hairs and are about an inch in length.

Insects Life Cycle: The fall webworm overwinters as a pupa. Moths appear during April and May. The moths lay their eggs on the leaves in masses partly covered with white hairs. Larvae hatching from these eggs construct webs over the leaves and feed inside the webs. When mature, larvae crawl to the ground and spin hairy cocoons beneath loose debris near the surface of the soil.

Insects Symptons: The larvae feed in colonies and produce large, white webs on the tree branches in late summer and fall. They feed on both surfaces of the leaves and enlarge the web as they spread.