As anecdotal sightings of tent caterpillars in central Kentucky give rise to concerns that this might be a bumper crop for the region, entomologists at the University of Kentucky have weighed in with guidelines to control the pests.Dr. Jonathan Larson, an entomologist at the UK's Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, said that they do not currently have data to support the notion that this year is worse than others, but indicated that a survey would be sent to farm managers to gauge their opinions.However, he said, “I was driving on the Bluegrass Parkway and can anecdotally say I saw a great deal of young tents while driving by.”Larson said that the caterpillars had not yet pupated, or undergone the transformative stage from turning from a caterpillar to a moth. “They move to do so at 450 growing degree days and Fayette County is only at 343 growing degree days,” said Larson. “Some napkin math in the hotel says that based on the current forecast, we should be going into pupation on April 14 in Fayette.”Growing degree days, explained Larson, are a method of measuring insect development. On any given day, based on the high and low temperature, a certain amount of development will occur in the insect.The good news, he said, was that spraying with an organic Bt spray, a natural insecticide, could still be beneficial for a few more days.“Bt spraying this week could still be effective until maybe Friday or so,” said Larson. “Physical removal of nests also helps. More potent insecticides would include bifenthrin,” a broad-spectrum insecticide.Physical removal of the nests can be achieved by putting a long pole or stick into the center of the nest and swirling it to catch the caterpillars up in the nest, and then scraping the silk and bugs off into a bucket of soapy water.“That's best for situations with only a few trees, but still effective and viable,” said Larson. “We sometimes get questions about using flame, but that is not a good idea.”Eastern tent caterpillars were thought to be the reason behind an outbreak of Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome, most pronounced in the spring of 2001 in central Kentucky.The post Kentucky Tent Caterpillars: More Direction from UK appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.