Subject: insect ID
Geographic location of the bug: south texas
Date: 02/04/2019
Time: 08:02 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: several of these are on one of our 4 year old grapefruit trees
How you want your letter signed: tony p.
Dear Tony,
These are Ailanthus Webworm Moths and they will not harm your grapefruit. They are seeking nectar from the blossoms, so they might actually be pollinating more fruit for you. The Ailanthus Webworm Moth is a native North American species that has adapted so that caterpillars feed on the leaves of the scourge, the Tree of Heaven, but alas, feeding on just the leaves does nothing to curb the spread of this invasive “weed” tree.