Bugs Eating Foliage on Willow Trees

Identification

• Willow trees are susceptible to infestation by the fruittree leafroller and the redhumped caterpillars. The leafroller is the larval stage of tortricid moths and the redhumped caterpillar, Schizura concinna, is the yellow-colored larvae of reddish to grayish-brown moths.

Damage

• Both pests feed on willow foliage. Fruittree leafrollers feed on new foliage. The worms roll the leaves with their silk and feed inside the cavities. Leaves are ragged and there is defoliation. The redhumped caterpillars eat the lower sides of foliage and skeletonize leaves, leaving only the veins. Severe infestation can defoliate the whole tree.

Management

• Introduce natural predators in trees to control pests. These include spiders, damsel bugs and bigeyed bugs for redhumped caterpillars and tachinid flies for fruittree leafroller. Bacillus thuringiensis is a fungus that can kill both pests naturally.