I am in NY and there is a spongy moth caterpillar infestation like nothing I've ever seen. I'm not normally freaked out by bugs, but for me these guys cause a poison ivy type rash that isn't itchy so much as painful welts. Swimming with them isn't really an option and today while trying to swim I literally scooped and killed between 1 and 2 hundred of them at the edge of the pool and out of the water. The longest we counted without one making its way onto the coping was 11 seconds.
I'm at a loss, the web says these things will be around until end of June before they pupate. Is there anything I can do. Any chance diatomaceous earth will deter them? We use a very powerful insecticide called Onsalught fastcap for paper wasps but I try not to use it too much because we don't want to hurt the bee population. I'm at the point where I'm close to spraying down my whole yard and wooded area with the stuff because I can't be outside right now- they are literally every 2-3 feet.
I'm at a loss, the web says these things will be around until end of June before they pupate. Is there anything I can do. Any chance diatomaceous earth will deter them? We use a very powerful insecticide called Onsalught fastcap for paper wasps but I try not to use it too much because we don't want to hurt the bee population. I'm at the point where I'm close to spraying down my whole yard and wooded area with the stuff because I can't be outside right now- they are literally every 2-3 feet.
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