Forest tent caterpillars

The forest tent caterpillar (FTC), Malacosoma disstria, is a native defoliator of a wide variety of hardwood trees and shrubs and can be found throughout the range of all hardwood forests in North America.

Quick Facts...

• Forest tent caterpillar are often mistakenly called the armyworm.
• Populations peak every ten to sixteen years.
• Defoliation causes little damage. A second set of leaves will develop by mid-July.
• There are natural control mechanisms that will cause populations to collapse.
• FTC are native insects and play critical roles in structuring aspen mixed-wood forests and helping to improve forest dynamics.