Browntail Awareness Month: Are you prepared?
Browntail Moth populations have decreased in 2024, however, some areas may still experience localized impacts; rashes in humans and tree defoliation. We expect areas with lower populations of browntail moth may still result in unexpected encounters with the caterpillars in May and June. Help us reduce those surprises by supporting awareness of browntail moth before they emerge!
February is Browntail Moth Awareness month and is a great time to learn how to recognize and remove winter webs from your trees - and what to do if you can't reach the webs.
February Checklist
Reduce browntail impacts:
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Recognize browntail winter webs, which are usually at the tips of tree branches and look like palm-sized (2-5 inches long) structures covered with white silk. Focus your attention on tree species browntail strongly prefer like oak, apple, crabapple, cherry, birch, poplar, shadbush, and rose bushes.
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Remove webs: Use hand snips or an extendable pole pruner in areas within reach of the ground and away from hazards such as powerlines. Protect your eyes and skin during removal as toxic caterpillar hairs may still be present. After removal, destroy webs:
- Obtain a burn permit and burn them in a contained fire, or
- Soak them in a bucket of soapy water for a few days before disposing.
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Professional Assistance: When you can't reach the webs, reach out to licensed arborists or FAA-certified drone operators specializing in browntail removal.
- Pesticide treatments may also be effective. It is not too early to find a contractor.
- Any pesticide treatments to reduce browntail caterpillars should be completed in mid-April to mid-May to be effective.
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Community Support: Contribute to the relief in your community by hosting winter web surveys and clipping parties to reduce impacts from browntail caterpillar hairs. The more neighbors, businesses, and others that work together to respond to browntail, the better the results.
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(Left) Browntail webs that have been removed from a tree; note that they are at the tips of branches and are palm-sized. (Right) Collected browntail webs that are ready to be destroyed by soaking with soapy water or safely burned in a contained fire.
Educational sticker available at Maine Forest Service booth events to raise awareness and encourage browntail winter web removal. Find us to grab your own sticker!
What we're working on this winter
Browntail populations have decreased in 2024. To understand the full extent of the reduction in browntail, we are conducting a winter web survey that will wrap up in March 2025. After the data is reviewed, it will appear on our interactive browntail moth dashboard, which will give you a rough idea about what browntail is doing in your community.
In the meantime, find answers to our most commonly asked questions on browntail moth on our website.
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