Disease help?

Hi there. I am brand new to the site and to fruit growing! We recently moved to the country ( in Ontario and our land has over 100 fruit trees of many varieties. I am trying to educate myself as much as possible and the previous owner sent me to this site. Thanks in advance for helping a newbie! I noticed these webs on some trees yesterday. The trees are mostly ‘Chums’ but it’s also on at least one crab apple tree. Would love to know what this is and what I do about it? The previous owner didn’t spray any chemicals and kept everything as organic as possible. I would like to continue that tradition if I can. Do I prune the branches with the webs on them?, remove the webs? spray something? also, I’m told that I should be disinfecting my shears or loppers when going from tree to tree, can you recommend for that? apologies in advance for my lack of knowledge. I’m having to kind of plunge in feet first!

Look up Tent caterpillar. I think spraying them with BT works.

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Yes, disease can also be transmitted from tree to tree so hygiene is important.

Most bugs, if it’s not an infestation you can manually remove and squish. But on big tree out of reach, maybe you can spray BT as well as @mamuang said. It’s considered “organic”,

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For disinfecting tools rubbing alcohol or a strong bleach solution. (?) Flaming tools is what we did in micro class :laughing:

Welcome to the site and best of luck.

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thank you! much obliged.

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The Tent caterpillars feed on some sort of scheduler. Watch them for couple days to see when they got into their tent. That would be the best time to remove their webs with caterpillars in it and dump in soapy water.

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will do. thanks!

Spinosad will kill the tent caterpillars. It is organic ingredient in Monterey spray. I get a few of those tents every year, but the spray does them in.

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