It's that time of year again in Charlotte, NC. Temperatures are rising and trees are blooming which means little green worms, otherwise known as Cankerworms are about to make their appearance. If you've walked the streets lined with trees in Myers Park, taken a neighborhood stroll in the Dilworth Community, or enjoyed a day at the park in Elizabeth, you've more than likely spotted little worms hanging from white silk threads or clustered together in a white caccoon.
Year after year, Greater Charlotte, NC and surrounding areas experience an epidemic of cankerworms due to the the typical spring temperatures we experience and high volume of oak trees. These little worms might be small but are extremely mighty when it comes to damaging the trees they call home. Even though Cankerworms are about to make their appareance as full grown worms this spring, if you're trees weren't previously banded in the fall, they've probably been in your trees growing and multiplying with no sightly indicators. Cankerworms get their start in the fall, as female inchworms crawl up the trunk of the tree to mate with the males. The females then lay eggs; which, weather dependent hatch in early spring. Newly hatched cankerworms feed off of trees foliage, (especially on oak trees) causing damage to the tree canopy. Damage to the tree canopy means photosynthesis is not able to take place and results in serious tree stress and eventual tree decline.
Interested in learning more about these little green worms? We've got you covered. In our next post, we're talking all about preventative measures to take against cankerworms to keep your trees happy and healthy. Taking these necessary steps will stop Canker Worms right in their tracks.
Looking to gain more insight on Charlotte's Canker Worm epedemic? Speak with a Certified Arborist today.
