This spring, tent caterpillars seem to be a more prevalent than usual issue in Santa Fe. We have been receiving many phone calls and emails from concerned property managers and homeowners about tent caterpillars causing rapid defoliation of their aspen trees. The damage is mostly unappealing, but repeated years of infestation can cause tree death. Trees are a valuable asset that are not only expensive to replace, but also important to the landscape and our environment.  

Tent caterpillars form a silken tent or nest in trees. They hatch in the spring and emerge to feed on the nearby leaves. In our area, the Western tent caterpillar is most often seen infesting trees in May and early June.

Luckily, tent caterpillars are fairly easy to treat. Proscape recommends cutting out by hand any visible nests. There are also insect sprays that can be used to treat the problem. Contact us for assistance with diagnosis and treatment of your trees.