Students aren’t the only ones squirming during finals season as caterpillars become more and more abundant on campus.
Caterpillars are invertebrates that roam campus in late spring because of changes in temperature, said Timothy Schowalter, professor and department head of entomology. These changes affect tannins — defensive chemicals — in trees’ foliage, making them more susceptible to feedings by caterpillars. Oak leaves and sweet gum leaves make up a caterpillar’s diet on campus.
Eventually, caterpillars will form a cocoon, a process called pupating, Schowalter said. Around May or June, moths come out of the cocoon.
Schowalter said caterpillars commonly found on campus during spring each vary with its own look and characteristics.
The tussock moth, easily identifiable by white tufts of hair, causes allergic reactions in humans in rare cases, he said.
Closer attention should be paid to buck moths, which are known for stinging, Schowalter said. Deep red spines distinguish these caterpillars.
Amelia Hammond, English secondary education junior, knows the pain of a buck moth sting.
“One stung me and it felt like a bad splinter,” Hammond said.
The aptly named live oak tussock moth feeds heavily off live oak trees, with noticeable patches of brown foliage as a result, Schowalter said. This does little damage, however, because feces from the caterpillars dropped on the ground below act as a fertilizer for the same trees they feed on. The oaks won’t be significantly harmed, with any damage unnoticeable by late summer.
Schowalter said pest control does not spray for caterpillars unless complaints due to allergies or sanitary issues with caterpillar feces occur.
“The chemicals in the pesticides would probably cause more issues than the caterpillars,” he said.
An annoyance among students brought about by caterpillars is the surprise of finding one crawling on their clothes or neck. Schowalter explained this happens often due to “ballooning,” the process by which caterpillars throw out silk to the air in order to travel by wind.
Student feelings about the abundance of caterpillars on campus vary.
Watching people react to caterpillars on them provides amusement, Hammond said.
Other students dislike the creatures.
“I think they’re pretty, but I don’t like it when they creep up on me,” said Molly Gregory, English secondary education sophomore.