Acer pensylvanicum Fine Webbing - Causes & Fixes

Jump to cause: Spider Mites (Tetranychidae) Spotted Tent Caterpillar Webbing Leafminer (Lepidoptera larvae)

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Spider Mites (Tetranychidae)

Spider mites thrive in warm, dry conditions and create fine silken webs across the undersides of leaves and stems to protect their eggs. This leads to stippling (tiny white dots) on the foliage of the Striped Maple.

Very Common

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How to confirm: Hold a white piece of paper under a leaf and tap it to see if tiny crawling specks fall off.

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1 Apply an organic miticide or insecticide to the foliage to eliminate existing spider mites, eggs, and larvae.

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2 Increase humidity around the plant and ensure the soil remains consistently moist, as spider mites thrive in dry environments.

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3 Physically remove visible webbing and pests by spraying the undersides of leaves with a strong stream of water.

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Spotted Tent Caterpillar

The larvae of these caterpillars spin silk webs, often congregating on the tips of branches or within leaf clusters. While they primarily consume foliage, the silken structure can appear as fine webbing near new growth.

Common

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How to confirm: Inspect the web for small, dark-colored caterpillars moving among the leaves.

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1 Manually remove the caterpillar nests and any visible larvae from the branch tips to prevent further feeding and webbing spread.

2 Apply an organic insecticide spray to the affected areas to target any remaining caterpillars and larvae.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz

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3 Monitor the tree regularly for new silk structures or emerging larvae to ensure the infestation does not return.

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Webbing Leafminer (Lepidoptera larvae)

Certain moth larvae create silken tunnels or webs as they feed on the internal tissue of the maple leaves. This often results in visible serpentine tracks and a light webbing over affected areas.

Common

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How to confirm: Look for translucent, winding trails inside the leaf blade near the webbed area.

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shopping_cart Recommended Products

1 Inspect the undersides of leaves for larvae or cocoons and manually remove any visible webbing or caterpillars to reduce the immediate infestation.

2 Apply an organic insecticide spray to the foliage to target any remaining larvae and prevent further egg laying.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$10

In Stock

3 Prune and properly dispose of heavily infested branches to prevent the larvae from spreading to healthy parts of the tree.