Fall webworms

[Wandering Man]

They're in our neighborhood, munching on the live oak trees. They neighbors are beginning to treat their trees. I'm not sure what they'll be using.

Should I be worried?

Last year we did nothing to our trees and they survived. Just looked ugly for a while.

[Bakersdozen]

In this part of the country the web worms mostly like black walnut and some others.  The State horticultural college says not to worry.  Treatment is difficult and the worms only set the trees back a little.  Several years ago the web worms were very bad.  The college still said not to worry.

[Wandering Man]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. Should I be worried about my neighbors treatment of their trees?

From what I've read, the treatment of choice is malathion and sevin.

Well, actually I think you're supposed to treat in the spring with an oil.  But, if you didn't treat, and you just can't stand the bugs, then the most likely thing my neighbors will be using is malathion.

The trees aren't flowering, so maybe my girls will stay away?

[brooksbeefarm]

Web worms were as bad as i've ever seen them this year, like B12 said Black Walnut trees and Persimmon trees was there main target and i don't think they missed a tree in any county i went through . I think about any insecticide will kill them and shouldn't harm the bees unless there are flowers bees work under the sprayed trees. Bag worms don't usually start till most fruit trees and other flower blooming trees are through blooming. The webbed bags are falling off the trees now, and the buts are starting to fall off, you can see ever nut on the tree because the leaves are gone. I have also been told they don't kill the tree. Jack

[Bakersdozen]

Well, I did see a tree that looked pretty devastated.  It happened to be covered with web worms.  Will it bounce back?  Did the web worms cause the look of death?  I think it died on it's own.  Maybe the web worms pushed it over the edge.
Wandering Man, I would watch for drifting when the neighbor sprays.  Perhaps you could ask him to let you know when he is going to spray and you can cover the hives up or something.  I encourage him with a bottle of honey to forget about spraying.  I don't think malathion or Sevin will penetrate those webs.  He will just be spraying poison.

[rober]

if they are within reach I hit them with a propane torch. I've even duct taped the torch to a telescoping painters pole.