Seedlings up to two feet tall can be defoliated by the larvae of a single nest. Infestations on larger trees cause partial defoliation, loss of growth and poor tree appearance. Web Life History and Habits - Pine webworms overwinter as pupae in the soil. Adults emerge in the spring, mate and lay eggs on the needles. On hatching, young larvae mine the needles.
Older larvae feed on needles and construct the web mass.
Larvae continue to feed within the expanding web until mature, then drop to the ground and pupate in a cell in the soil. As with many moths, the speed of development depends on temperature. There are probably two generations per year in south Georgia. Control - Controls generally are not necessary for light or extremely spotty infestations. Individual infestations can be destroyed by hand.