I saw a few (hundred) caterpillars on the Lakewalk extension a month or so ago, some of them trailing down on threads.  Don't know if they were Army Worms or not.

I went dumpster diving on the U of M campus this weekend, and the trees and sidewalks were crawling with tentworms.  Glad I haven't seen any of them around here (yet)...

Gross.  Nightmare fodder throughout my childhood.  I had really wanted to do some serious camping/hiking this year, and this might be enough to keep me out of the woods, if it's as bad as I remember.  :(

Ya know Paul, that is actually what I was just thinking!  Get out on the trails now before the worms and skeeters take over the forest completely.  Just curious though, is there any resource that might help me avoid the potentially bad areas?  Probably not much to do besides wait and see.  Wikipedia advises placing a bucket 1/4 full of water near the afflicted trees; the worms will be attracted and drown.  Obviously that wiki author has not seen a Minnesota army worm infestation.

I'm from southern Wisconsin, and saw them there in March. I don't think they ever got as bad there as I've heard they get here. Gulp.

My father used to take a blowtorch to their tents. eeeek!!

Don't forget the possibilities of Armyworm wine.

Oh no! Not the death caterpillars again! A sure sign that I've lived here too long.

Oh no!!! You know, I can take the cold ... I can take blizzards ... I can take having to take a plane halfway across the country to see my family ... I can take my daughter growing up, speaking like the characters in Fargo -- but I hate army worms. That is the one thing about Minnesota I can't take! I may have to find a way to spend all of next summer elsewhere.

Gander Mtn. sells great bug hats for cheap - stock up now. I used mine at the cabin the last time they were so bad. Still had to be swept with a broom before coming inside but at least they weren't in my hair!

Cutter makes a spray that you attach to your hose. Spray the trees, grass, etc. and it will kill them, the larvae and help create a barrier for the rest. I have 4 bottles in storage already. 

Or...buy an ostrich as they are the only thing that will eat the nasty worms!

These nasty things head for the deciduous flora in our midst(hardwood, broad-leaf trees like oaks, maples, birches, aspen/popple, etc.), essentially any non evergreen or pine tree.  So evergreen and pine areas will fare better overall.  Not sure re: cedars tho...  Also, when the ruffed grouse numbers go up - like they have been of late, the tent caterpillar numbers go up as well.

@Piglet - I will look into this and get back to you.  Heard the correlation from a bird hunter pal.

This will have a huge impact on the birch stands that were blown down after last winter's ice storm up the shore around Finland. There's a pretty good percentage of blowdown vs. standing vegetation, so it might be that there won't be as much to munch.

I was out biking on the Tri-County Corridor in rural Douglas County yesterday and I counted at least four or five clusters of tent caterpillars along the trail.  The larvae was just starting to emerge, but it wasn't swarming yet.

Maybe if I was more 'experienced' with these critters I'd know the answers to my questions (I did check the web too). But we ARE talking about tent caterpillars, right? Not army worms? Each eats different things and I doubt the army worms hang around in tents (barracks maybe?).

And better yet...

DNR forest tent caterpillar 2009 update

Last Army Worm intrusion in 2002: I was building the Yurt in July. It happened to also be a banner year for ticks, mosquitos, gnats, and flies in/around Isabella. Every step meant death for a thousand small lives. 

I look forward to the carnage.

Tim K:  That article from the DNR says they are called army worms because of the way they forage for food.  I always thought it was because they looked like an army in that drab army green color, marching, marching...

mk: I totally forgot about those b-52 lazy huge flies that cling to everything....double ICKY.

The MPR story contains the only instance I have ever noted of a reporter using the word "ishy." This is solid, accurate journalism when it comes to forest tent caterpillars.

I just found a forest tent caterpillar in our woods up past Two Harbors.  Just one was enough to make me go "ish."