Which pest forms a tent-like web in trees?

• A. Gypsy moth
• B. Japanese beetle
• C. Spider mite
• D. Eastern tent caterpillar

Answer: (D)

A silk-tent shelter in the forks of a tree is a hallmark behavior of the Eastern tent caterpillar. In spring, these caterpillars hatch and cluster in the branch crotches, weaving a communal, tent-shaped web that they live in while they feed on the surrounding leaves. The nest provides protection from wind and predators and makes it easy for many caterpillars to stay together as they grow. You’ll often see these tents in deciduous trees like cherry, apple, or crabapple. The other pests don’t form this kind of large, tent-like structure: gypsy moths feed in groups but don’t produce a single, persistent tent; Japanese beetles are adults that skeletonize leaves and don’t spin a tent; spider mites create fine webs on leaves but not a visible tree-wide tent.