Those Webs In Oklahoma Trees Aren’t Spiders, They’re Worse

One sign that summer is getting close to being over in Oklahoma is when people begin to see webs in their trees. These webs look like giant balls of spider webs strung around a tree branch. Webs are usually associated with spiders, but these balls of webs in trees are not spiders - they're a worse kind of insect infestation.

Webworms, or fall webworms, are caterpillars that spin silk nests to protect themselves and the leaves they're feeding on. They typically start out on the outer edge of a branch and as the caterpillars grow and eat more and more leaves, the web nest gets bigger and bigger. According to an article from Better Homes & Gardens, these nests can get as long as three feet.

Although fall is in the name, these infestations typically start presenting themselves in the summer. And if not taken care of immediately, a giant infestation will form by the time fall comes.

Do webworms damage trees?

A lot of trees are susceptible to webworms, especially ones commonly found in Oklahoma, like willow, cottonwood and pecan. The nests are mostly eyesores and don't cause much damage to established trees. But if found in young trees, webworms can cause leaf loss.

How do you get rid of webworms?

If you find your tree beginning to show signs of webworms, there's a few easy ways to get them out of your tree.

You'll want to start off by using a broom to get rid of the branches. This will improve the look of your tree, but it won't take care of the webworms. They're often still in the tree, and they'll just start spinning a new wed.

To get rid of the webworms, the easiest thing to do is to prune the branch. Or you can apply an insecticide to the leaves of the branch where the web was spun.