Do any of you guys have catalpa trees on your property or have access to one? If so has anybody saw any worms yet? When I was younger I remember going with my dad to pick worms off a tree but I can not remember what time of year it was. Now my dad has passed away and I've asked around and I've heard in NC the worms show up in August but I haven't saw any yet. Just wondering if anybody has had any luck yet.

TFNC:

Here's the link to last year's CWorm thread: HSB vs. LMB in small ponds (with Catalpa Worms)

They were in Ohio in August last year. This week I've been back in the field I found them in last year ; I haven't seen any in the trees this year. I'll keep looking in case some show up, 'cause they sure are great bait.

I've been checking about 5 catalpa trees for 3 years now. I've never seen a worm.

Dave -- no rain + no leaves = no worms.
They like nice big juicy leaves not cactus. :p

You should go to the catalpa worm festival its in your area. They can tell you how to introduce the worms to your trees.

The festival in Scroggins was in July. I had planned on going, but had to work that weekend. You may check the soil around the trees. It needs to be somewhat porous for the worms to burrow in it. Just amend the soil this fall. Also, as Ewest said, need some moisture. I bought a 12vdc water pump and one of those deep root watering rods. Use that if they are remote.

I had catalpa worms on my trees in June. There is one big 50'+ tall "momma tree" and two smaller volunteers that are about 12' tall next to the pond. I have never seen any worms on the big tree. If they get worms it must be near the top. But the small trees have had worms for the last two years. The worms showed up in late May or early June. All the leaves on the small trees were eaten off by the first week in July. The worms disappeared shortly there after. The trees have since put out new growth.

Does anyone know if CWorms/Catalpa Sphinx Moth do more than one generation in a year?

Dave, If you have access to an worm/moth infested tree, you can dig up the larvae from the leaf litter and topsoil around the tree and transplant them next Spring. Our trees had C/W's around the second week of June this year.

Theo, sometimes, if conditions are right, there will be more than 1 hatching. If wasp dont eat them, or they are not all harvested, and if there is some rain to keep the ground soft and make the trees foliate again.
Has anyone fished with tomato hornworms. I may just plant tomatoes to get the worms. They always attack my tomatoes with a vengence. :rolleyes:

Actually, I have never seen a catalpa worm. My father told me about fishing with them when he was a kid in Mississippi. I've been looking for them for years without luck (or maybe skill).

Maybe the worms just don't like arid climates. The trees do really well here.

Thanks guys. I looked at one of my trees this afternoon and found a couple. Do they always stay on the bottom on a leaf?

I have another catalpa tree at my pond. I recently found out my dad never found any worms on that tree. He tried placing some worms on the tree at the pond to try to get some reproduction on that tree but to no avail. I have heard of a male and female catalpa tree and one won't have worms. Here is a picture I took this afternoon.

I have heard of people freezing the worms in paper cup with a bit of water to cover the worms for use later in the season but I have never tried this.

See this reference for more information http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg305.html

"Life Cycle: Winter is spent in the pupal stage, which appears naked, brown and spindle-shaped, 2 to 3 inches deep in the soil. Adult moths emerge in the spring and mate. Female catalpa sphinx moths lay clusters of up to 1,000 white eggs on catalpa tree leaves, usually in April or early May. Tiny caterpillars hatch from these eggs in about 10 to 14 days and feed together (gregariously) for the stages (instars). Caterpillars molt several times during development before they crawl down the tree trunk and pupate in the soil. Adults emerge several days later. There may be 4 to 5 generations per year in Texas."

Frank

Good work Frank !! A new source for info.

yes, thanks Frank....i was able to look up what i consider the single greatest live bait for freshwater fishing ....hellgrammites...when i lived in MD, you could find them up to 4-inches long under rocks near water. Among the hundreds of fish i caught w/ them in the Potomac riv. included a 6 lb smallie and a 40 lb catfish. they had real leathery skin and could be used over and over. i used a real simple set up running 4-6 feet below a bobber.

hellgrammite

Turkeyfootnc,

I've got four in their first growing season...seeds courtesy of Theo and Bobad and bare root plants courtesy of Deb. They are doing great even in the extreme drought, but it will be a couple of years before worms show. That is assuming they make it the next two months of drought.

I had a little time to kill after farm work last night and checked out the catalpa trees next door more thoroughly. There were a few dozen medium-to-small CWorms about 25 feet up. Hopefull they'll move down to lower leaves as they get bigger.

I seems like they are at least usually on the bottom; it's probably good cover since from above the leaf they can't be seen and from below the leaf, their silhouette looks about like a small seed pod. I think the easiest way to find them is to first look for clsters of missing (eaten) leaves.

Theo, if they dont move down, maybe you can stand on your tractor with a limber cane fishing pole and whip them down. Just try not to actually hit the worm unless you want tobacco juice on you.

We've not had C. worms on any area trees for 3 years now...probably the drought, as it seems they need that loose, moist soil to dig down and pupate...

Bingo! I got four Cworms that had moved to a lower elevation off one of the two trees last night. The other tree doesn't seem to have any at all this year - the reverse of last year's distribution.

If you folks need some catalpa tree seeds, I will have a bunch of seeds in the fall..No cost to you Pond Folks..

I guess I will have to research these catalpa trees to see what they are, I am sure though that they either wouldnt survive in Missouri climate or its illegal to have them in your yard.

Trialsguy:

There are Northern and Southern varieties of Catalpa trees - I bet one, possible both, would do OK in Mizzoo (I have one pocket tree reference that shows the original range pretty much smack dab on Missouri/Arkansas).

As to their legality there, I can't say, but they will never be a major under-the-table cash crop.

Theo, I expect to hear a fishing report of new pond records for CC and BG on Monday.