Caterpillars Are Taking Over East Texas
If you've noticed more caterpillars than usual this spring, you're not losing your mind. They're everywhere! And if you stand under a tree, that powdery substance around your shirt collar may be caterpillar droppings. Gross.
A specific type of caterpillar is really reproducing like crazy. The Forest Tent caterpillar is prevalent this spring because of a mild winter, and we're seeing them in our back yards, on sidewalks, in flower beds, and in parks.
A Lufkin entomologist told KTRE that the caterpillars are considered a nuisance sometimes, but they really are pretty harmless. Until you stand under a tree while they're feeding, and all of that powdery stuff coming down like rain lands in your hair and on your shirt collar. That would be caterpillar poop. That's some good trivia for your next picnic at Kit McConnico Park.
The caterpillars will be spinning cocoons in a couple of weeks and we won't see them for another year, so enjoy the fuzzy little things while you can -- droppings and all.
The butterflies will appear in late April or early May.