ANACORTES, Wash. — An influx of tent caterpillars in Anacortes may make for a shocking sight, but experts say it's not a cause for concern. Though some people still might want to take action.
Washington State University Endowed Professor Todd Murray told KING 5 the caterpillars have already finished much of their feeding, so the effects of tree defoliation are "most striking right now."
The effects on the trees, he said, are temporary. There's still plenty of season left to grow.
"So, the long-term tree health effects are pretty minimal," Murray added.
The caterpillars defoliate the trees and leave large tents behind.
"In areas I've seen outbreak in the past, they can be quite extreme in the landscape, meaning they'll cover everything with webbing," Murray said. "The trees will be entirely covered in webbing. You'll even see a bike parked by the tree covered in webbing- it can be quite drastic."
This year is not an extraordinary outbreak, according to Murray. However, it's something worth keeping an eye on.
There are several species of tent caterpillars in the western United States and a few that are native to the Pacific Northwest. These native species are not exterminated unless there is an extreme situation, in which the U.S. Forest Service may get involved.
However, if the caterpillars are getting at fruit trees, it's a good idea to peel off any egg cases from the stem or bark this year and set a reminder for next March to monitor the trees for tents. Under no circumstances, however, should you set them on fire.
"In the past, when we've had outbreaks, people are tempted to use fire as a way to control and get rid of tents," Murray said. "Fire is never, never, never a good practice for managing pests, especially a tent. We've seen people burn down their houses by accident when using fires."
The tent caterpillar phenomenon is just nature taking its course, according to Murray. And we may see more in the next few years.