Spooky Webs In Wisconsin Woods Aren’t From Spiders This Autumn

The seasons are changing in Wisconsin, and nature is getting ready for the cooler temperatures. I was out walking my dog yesterday, and I couldn't believe how many squirrels were out, gathering food and fattening up. While I was walking the dog, I noticed a large number of trees with webs on them. I assumed these were from some type of spider.

It gave me the heebie-jeebies. I'm not a huge fan of spiders. They also get pretty active this time of year. Fall is when spiders mate, so you're more likely to see them moving around in your house. ICKY!

Webworm Caterpillars

Anyway, back to these webs on trees. They are not made by spiders. They are actually from webworm caterpillars. The Wisconsin DNR just shared a post about these insects.

The webworm (Hyphantria cunea) gets active in late summer and early fall. They make these tents on the tips of tree branches. They use these large tents to help find mates, feed, and protect themselves. Because these webworms do their feeding in the fall, it's not very detrimental to the tree's health. The trees are close to losing their leaves anyway.

Related: Fall Is The Time For Abundant Spiders In Minnesota

Different Than Spongy Moth

This is different than spongy moth caterpillars that come in the spring. Those hurt the trees more because of the timing.

The Wisconsin DNR advises you to leave them alone. Removing a webworm tent could cause more damage to the tree than the caterpillar itself causes.