webworms and lanternflies attack Tree of Heaven
Small Tree of Heaven saplings can be shredded and killed by ailanthus webworm caterpillars. These snaky rascals writhe inside their webs. Ah, but the adult stage, a pretty ermine moth, pollinates wildflowers in summer and autumn. Although a bane to grape growers and a nuisance to others, prolonged, high-density infestations of lanternflies drain nutrients from Tree of Heaven. Some like these two may be killed by spotted lanternflies, lethal teamwork by one native and one non-native herbivore.