Anyone driving around South Carolina now can't help but notice webs in many trees dotting the countryside. Some trees appear to be wrapped almost entirely with webs. The webs contain fall webworms, a pest that attacks more than 120 varieties of fruit, shade, and woodland trees. Among their favorites are apple, peach, pecan, black walnut, birch, elm, hickory, poplar, white oak and willows. Occasionally they attack roses and other shrubs.
Damage is much like that of the eastern tent caterpillar which appear in early spring.
But fall webworms make their nests over the end of branches, never in tree crotches like the eastern tent caterpillar does. Initially the web covers a few leaves on a branch. As larvae grow, entire branches may be infested. Webs often are 2-3 feet long. The larvae eat entire leaves except for the midrib and veins.