Cankerworms
trees, including oaks, cherry, elm, apple, maples, and others. The spring cankerworm and the fall cankerworm tend to be the most common. They both get their names from the times of the year in which they are active as adults: the spring cankerworm adults are active from February into March while the fall cankerworm adults are active in late November and early December. They mate and lay eggs during these times. Adult male moths of the fall cankerworm sometimes become nuisance pests in because they are very attracted to night-time holiday lighting.
The adult male cankerworms (of both species) are rather dull-colored, small moths while the females are wingless. Fall cankerworm larvae grow to ¼ – 1 inch long and are usually apple-green to brownish-green in color, with a dark middle stripe and three narrow white lines on each side. Spring cankerworm larvae reach the same size but are green to reddish-brown in color and have a single yellowish strip on each side.
Cankerworm larvae feed on tree leaves from late April to mid-June. Adult fall cankerworm females emerge to lay eggs in the late fall during warmer periods in October through early December. The eggs overwinter and hatch in late April to early May. Spring cankerworms emerge as adults during warm spells in February or March. By late June to early July the larvae of both species have matured and they descend to the ground on silk threads. The larvae then burrow into the ground, spin a silken cocoon, and pupate. The pupae remain in the soil until late fall or early spring.
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