Category: Pecan

Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar

Hickory Tussock Moths (Lophocampa caryae) are native to northeastern North America down to North Carolina and a few even wander to Texas and down into Mexico. These photos are their larvae, their caterpillars.

Hickory Tussock Moths have just one generation per year. Eggs are laid in clusters of 100 or beyond, on the undersides of the leaves of their preferred trees, Hickory, Walnut, Pecan, and American Hornbeam but other trees are chosen as well. These young caterpillars feed together as a “crew” skeletonizing the leaves. To see these caterpillars at work is startling but usually they don’t do enough damage to permanently harm a tree.

The more mature caterpillars are around in late summer into autumn. They measure to about 1.75 inches and develop into solitary creatures.

Looking cute and cuddly, white with black (those black tufts are called “pencils”). But be wise. Don’t pick them up. Their little barbed hairs can cause irritation on your skin. Panda Bears of the insect world — don’t touch.

Larger Elm Leaf Beetle

Larger Elm Leaf Beetle (Monocesta coryli) is 3/8 to 5/8 inch long.

Quite a pretty beetle with its colorful iridescence, the Larger Elm Leaf Beetle can be found in the eastern and southeastern US, from Florida west to Kansas and north to Pennsylvania. Elm is a favorite tree that this beetle feeds on, but it also skeletonizes the leaves of Hawthorn, Hazelnut, Flowering Dogwood, River Birch, Pecan and Plum. It’s most often spotted in hardwood forests and woodlands that have a lot of elm trees.

The larvae of Larger Elm Leaf Beetles start out just after emerging from their eggs at 1/8 inch long and greenish-yellow to 3/4 inch long and looking like this photo.

Adult Larger Elm Leaf Beetles chew holes in leaves and lay their eggs on the leaves. The larvae aren’t shy though and don’t hold back, they consume everything but the veins of leaves as they feed.

A view from below. Looking up at the larvae of Larger Elm Leaf Beetles

The Tachinid Fly, and parasitic wasps use Larger Elm Leaf Beetles as their hosts controlling to some extend their population.

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