The following describes the life stages of the fall webworm and its seasonal cycle and habits as found to usually occur in Alabama. 3 Description Fall webworm adults are small to medium-size moths with wingspan of 1 to 1 inches. The spotted-forewing characteristic is associated primarily with race and sex, and possibly with region. In Alabama and much of the southern region, both races occur and both solid white and spotted adults are found. Moths pictured in Photo 3 are representative of the majority of fall webworm adults usually encountered in our area.
Bodies are tan throughout most of the developmental period but become darker in the last stage.
Caterpillars of both races are densely clothed with hairs that arise in clumps from tubercles. Full-grown webworm larvae are 1 to 1 inches long. Hosts are almost wholly hardwoods but at least one conifer, baldcypress, is included. Food trees preferred by the webworm vary by region and, in the southern region where both races occur, also by race. Webs on pecan, persimmon, the cherries, and sourwood are predominantly, or wholly, orange race, and those on sweetgum, willow, and mulberry are black race.