Oak Leafrollers
The little green worms hanging on a silk thread from Oak trees throughout Pinellas County are Oak Leafrollers and are harmless – a nuisance but harmless. The little green worms feed on Oak Tree leaves and then do what most caterpillars do – form a cocoon and then turn into a moth. Their feeding is usually of little consequence to the oak trees – there are plenty of leaves for the tree and the worm.
But as a nuisance pest (as opposed to a lethal pest) they are very bothersome creatures - clinging to clothes, cars, and bushes and invade our homes and vehicles as hitch-hikers.
The problem is the wind! The wind dislodges them from their lofty dining rooms in the trees and they hang suspended in midair by a thin silk line. As you walk through the area the silk and worms cling to clothes and skin. The other day after spraying a yard, I picked a half dozen or so from my clothes!
Best Advice: This too shall pass! Allow the worms to finish their life cycle and soon they will be gone.
