The Green Free Library, along with half of Wellsboro had many unwelcome visitors last week. For some reason hundreds of, what has been identified by Jeff Himes of the Penn State Co-operative Extension Office as Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moths decided to stop at the library and several other local businesses in town.
According to the Internet, Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moths are rarely seen. Huh, could of fooled me, they were everywhere! They lay hundreds of eggs in a mass, in mid-summer. The eggs hatch the following spring and the larvae are very small at first. The little caterpillars climb into the fork of a tree and build a silky, tent like nest. They come out during the day to feed and return to the protection of the nest at night. The tiny caterpillars grow to about 2 inches in length in the six to eight weeks that they feed. They then look for a place to pupate, and build a cocoon. The cocoon stage lasts about three weeks. When the moth leaves the cocoon it is already an adult, and off to seek a mate to start the entire process again. Hopefully they didn't pupate on the library!
Though they were certainly messy, the moths pose no danger and don't do any harm themselves. The caterpillars that hatch from their eggs do feed upon tree leaves and shrubs, but this defoliation is only harmful to really young trees.
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_tent_caterpillar_m.htm
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