Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 10:11am
How many pine trees have you got? If you're wife goes to the co-op in town, they sell thick grease in the containers you put in grease guns. Each tube of grease will do about 8 trees. Get a knife and put about an inch thick ring of grease around each tree trunk (below any branches) and when the caterpillars come down they don't like to cross the grease. When they're all bunched up around the trunk, spray them with hairspray and pick them off with a stick into a container - a paint tub is ideal. Then, unfortunately, the only way to deal with them is to burn them. It's much easier to deal with them while they're still on the tree rather than when they're on the ground. In my experience, they tend to come down in the mornings. You need to keep checking the trees - I've checked them and there's nothing, then I've checked again about 20 minutes later and there's 50 of them round the tree. Wear glasses, gloves, a hat and scarf around your face.
It's a pain, but it's the only way at this stage. If you're kids or pets come into contact with them they need IMMEDIATE medical attention. Don't mess about.