Late Season Caterpillar Defoliators

A Technical Report from The Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories

By fall, many trees are preparing for dormancy, and the loss of leaves for photosynthesis has a lesser impact at that time compared to the beginning of the growing season when energy demands are high. While management of early season caterpillars that defoliate is critical for preserving foliage for the growing season, the benefits of management later in the year rarely outweigh the costs.