White Satin Moth
Many populations of white satin moth have been located in Sublette Cunty. Adult white satin moths have a black body with silver-white wings and black and white rings on their legs. The larvae have dark-colored bodies with pale yellow blotches down their backs, a whitish line down each side, and red-brown, hairy warts.
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This insect is a defoliator; the larvae feed on the leaves of trees, including poplar, willow, aspen, and cottonwood trees. Larve will consume entire leaves except for the major veins twhich can lead to branches dying, and if left untreated, the whole tree could die; however, healthy trees can better withstand pests like these and survive. After the larvae have fed and matured, they will spin loosely woven silk cocoons all over the tree. Keep your trees healthy by making sure that they have enough water and fertilizing them. If you notice any infestaton you can use a high-pressure stream of water to knock them loose fro mteh trees. Some people use "sticky bands" around the trunks to help trap the larvae as they crawl up to feed. If the infestation is bad enough, insecticides may be needed.
