The state tree of Texas is the pecan tree. Our charming city was built within a pecan tree orchard. It is a beautiful community due in part from the lovely presence of pecan trees. When the city was in its infancy, it was the responsibility for each homeowner to spray his/ her own pecan trees to address those annoying and destructive webworms. But those efforts could be for naught if neighbors elected to ignore the webworm threat. The freshly sprayed tree could be infested again in no time if pests in neighboring untreated tree’s got bored and moved on to your previously treated tree.
Driveways and lawns often became sticky thanks to the actions of the webworms.
More importantly at that time and now, webworms—if left untreated—can totally defoliate a pecan tree and reduce production of nuts for several years thereafter. Healthy trees typically will not die because of one full scale infestation but may after multiple subsequent infestations.
