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Maine Forest Service

Let's get ready for Browntail Moth Awareness Month!

* It's Browntail Moth Awareness Month. Are you ready to look for their winter webs? [ #link_6 ]
* I found browntail winter webs in my trees, now what? [ #link_5 ]
* I can't clip all the browntail winter webs in my trees. Where can I find resources for an arborist or pesticide applicator? [ #link_1 ]
* 2026 Browntail Forecast [ #link_3 ]

BTM Awareness Month

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It's Browntail Moth Awareness Month. Are you ready to look for their winter webs?

Even when populations are down, browntail moth winter webs are something we should keep our eyes on. Their caterpillar emergence in the spring can still cause impacts to humans and trees. 

Identifying their winter webs in your backyard and neighborhood is your first line of defense.

*Here's how to scout for winter webs*:


* On a sunny day in winter, check for clumps of leaves at the tips of browntail moth's host trees: oak, birch, cherry, crabapple, and sometimes other fruit and hardwood trees.
* Browntail winter webs are typically 2-5 inches long and have a distinct white silk covering that protects them from the harsh Maine winters - this white silk is easier to see on a sunny day.
* Note the density of the browntail winter webs in each tree and decide whether management is needed.
* Watch our video [ [link removed] ] for more tips.

BTM winter webs in trees

Many browntail moth winter webs at the tips of tree branches in Augusta, ME.

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I found browntail winter webs in my trees, now what?

Remove them before the caterpillars emerge in April! Here's the best method to remove browntail winter webs:


* *Remove webs that you can safely reach from the ground with an extendable pole pruner or pruning shears.*
* Be sure to wear protective clothing (long sleeves, gloves, eye protection, etc.) when removing webs to prevent a rash from the residual caterpillar hairs.
* For webs that are inaccessible, or hazardous to remove (e.g. requires climbing or near power lines/traffic), consider hiring a professional to remove the webs.

* *Collect clipped webs from the ground into a bucket.*
* Browntail caterpillars are alive inside the winter webs. Leaving clipped webs on the ground will not eliminate the caterpillars and they will still emerge in the spring.

* *Destroy the collected winter webs:*
* Fill the bucket of winter webs with soapy water and let it soak for a few days to kill the caterpillars inside, OR
* Burn the webs by carefully placing the webs into a contained fire.

BTM winter web removal

An extendable pole pruner is being used to reach browntail winter webs in a crabapple tree in Orono, Maine.

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I can't clip all the browntail winter webs in my trees. Where can I find resources for an arborist or pesticide applicator?

Browntail mitigation should focus on high-traffic areas for the most impactful relief.

If you can't remove the browntail winter webs on your property, consider hiring a professional to assist with removal. *Winter web removals should be completed before the end of March.* Maine Forest Service maintains a list of licensed arborists [ [link removed] ] and FAA-certified drone operators [ [link removed] ] who perform winter web removal throughout the state.

Licensed pesticide applicators may have a limited schedule for timely spring pesticide treatments to reduce impacts from browntail caterpillars. If you have browntail winter webs in your trees that cannot be removed, consider hiring a licensed pesticide applicator and get in contact with them in early winter. *Pesticide applications happen after the trees leave dormancy and should take effect before the end of May to be effective.* Check out our list of applicators willing to treat browntail moth [ [link removed] ].

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2026 Browntail Forecast

Overall, 2025 marked another year of low browntail moth populations, thanks to viral and fungal pathogens and weather events that caused some localized mortality. If you're wondering where we're keeping our eyes on browntail moth in 2026, read on!

We conduct two surveys that help us track browntail moth populations [ [link removed] ]: summer aerial surveys and winter web surveys. Last year, aerial surveys captured roughly 4,935 acres of defoliation from actively feeding browntail moth caterpillars. This damage was noted primarily in Cumberland, Androscoggin, Kennebec, and Penobscot Counties - a slight increase compared to 2,119 acres of damage documented in 2024.


* 2025 Browntail Moth Aerial Detection Survey (PDF) [ [link removed] ]

Browntail moth winter web surveys are conducted during the colder months and help us understand where browntail may emerge during the early spring. We are currently still collecting data on browntail winter webs. Preliminary 2026 winter web surveys have indicated trace to low amounts of webs in southern Maine, moderate amounts of webs in southern Penobscot and Hancock Counties, and elevated levels of winter webs around Sebago Lake in Cumberland County. Our entire 2026 winter web survey will be available on our website when it is completed. See last year's survey below:


* 2025 Browntail Moth Winter Web Survey (PDF) [ [link removed] ]

*The bottom line:* although browntail moth populations are expected to remain low in 2026, some neighborhoods will still have nuisance-producing populations. We highly recommend folks survey the trees around them this February for the most accurate prediction of localized impacts and to inform management decisions.

BTM Interactive Map [ [link removed] ]



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