Question
I live in the Detroit Suburb of Michigan.  I have two mature Honey Locust trees (easily 50ft tall, 80 inch diameter trunks).  Each year they are infested with what I call green inch worms.  They may be "loopers"?  They hang from a silk thread by the hundreds... and love to land in my hair.  My mother suggested Bayer Tree Insect Concentrate, but it doesn't list any worms that it kills.  Any other products I have found need to be sprayed and just kill the worm once it is present.  Is there a chemical that I can poor around the tree or plug into the trunk to KILL them before they get past the larvae stage?  Is this common in Locust trees?  HELP!  They ruin my barbecue months!  Thank you.  -Pam

Answer
I would suggest you use a contact insecticide like the Bayer product AFTER you see the first caterpliiars. That way you do not waste insecticide or money spraying without having the problem. In leaf feeders the population will be large one year and can find no insects the next.
There are implants that are used to inject the tree to kill leaf feeding insects. I would suggest you contact the Wayne Co. Extension office and ask them on how to best do this. Their contact information is:
Wayne County Extension
640 Temple Street, 6th Floor
Detroit, Michigan
48201-2558
United States

Email Address: [email protected]
Phone: 313-833-3412
Here is a web link to one of these implant information:
http://www.treerx.com/