bits.
Since I discovered that they are in fact webworms and are devouring the redbud tree that hangs over my car and front walkway, the tiny white fuzzy caterpillars no longer seem cute.
Early webworm instar
Yesterday I tore out all the nests I could reach with a rake. This is the first time I’ve seen these guys since I’ve lived here. Since “the pupae over-winter in cocoons in the ground. Pupae may also be found under loose bark and in leaf litter,” I’m going to blame this infestation on the nasty, ugly mulch with which the landscapers covered the area between my front walk and street last winter, killing the lovely moss that was growing there.
In addition to killing the moss and (likely) introducing webworms to my trees, the mulch looks like a tree-eating dinosaur vomited in front of my house. It is so much uglier than whatever they thought needed fixing. They also planted several bushes in the area, all of which have died. Ugh.
In addition to battling webworms, yesterday I also cleaned and refilled the back birdfeeder, cleared leaves from my (hopefully one day) moss garden, started a compost pile, began creating a brushpile for wildlife behind my house, and arranged some things to try to mitigate the erosion due to lack of downspouts on the corners of my front porch. What I would really like are some rain chains. And to create a dry streambed to shunt the runoff around the driveway to the sunny part of the slope where I could put a rain garden. But I run away with myself…
Today’s work excitement: cataloging research blitz, at which I was a “blitzer” who “blitzed” on the topic of our e-book cataloging coverage and what SerialsSolutions ebook MARC service has added.
Tomorrow’s work excitement: emergency response walkthrough. I’m not sure what that is, but it sounds exciting. I’m sure it will be less exciting than it sounds, though.
