Thread: Catawba Worms

I think they only form on the female trees, The ones without the cigars hanging off them. Around here July is the best month for them.

i had them on my trees until about 1985. the trees also had the "cigars". im pretty sure its the younger trees that get the worms. still havent heard what the difference between the catawba worm and the catalpa worm is. i think its really catalpa unless you have a mouth full of redman. lol

Originally Posted by river scum

i had them on my trees until about 1985. the trees also had the "cigars". im pretty sure its the younger trees that get the worms. still havent heard what the difference between the catawba worm and the catalpa worm is. i think its really catalpa unless you have a mouth full of redman. lol

Here is the explanation, either is acceptable:

Etymology[edit]

The name derives from the Catawba Native American name catawba for these trees (the tribal totem), with the spelling catalpa being due to a transcription error on the part of the describing botanist (Scopoli) making the first formal scientific description of the genus. The rules of botanical naming state that the spelling used in the formal scientific description has to be retained for the scientific name. The name in vernacular use has very largely (though not completely) followed Scopoli's erroneous transcription, with catawba still in use in some areas of the United States, most particularly within the trees' native range

The trees are common here in the South as was the Indian tribe, so Catawba is a common spelling.

As SeaRay pointed out, Catawba and Catalpa are the same. At what point in history was it respelled?
If you enter "catawba worm" in the search window and let google do the work, you could have found the answer.
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/showt...orms-tree-care

My wife has her grandmother's old Ball canning book and a brand new one. In the old book you boil juice down to make a sirup, in the new book you make a syrup.

Originally Posted by Slabyanker

Used use them a lot when I fished with my grandpa years ago. Hard to beat catalpa worms for bait. They're hard to find around here in Jonesboro. Plenty of trees, but no worms.

If you have trees go get some worms and put them on the trees .

Both of my trees have the 'cigars" on them and both have worms.I know where some huge trees are but never saw them get ate up.
heres some young worms

heres a tree thats been ate slam up,,,all the leaves eaten,you can see the "beans" or cigars hangang

Years ago a neighbor had a tree next to the driveway. It was tall about 6 inches diameter at the base. The worms got heavy on it. The lady said she didn't want the mess so cut it down. I collected all of the worms I could then. The next season with the stump about an inch high the birds were having an easy meal on the pupas.

Mine has plenty of the beans/cigars on them.I was told that was the seed.I never have any sprouts under mine as for they are in the edge of my yard and I keep the grass cut around them.If any of you fellers would like any of the beans this fall when they dry on the tree,you are welcome to them.I could probally send some thru the mail in the little pouches,...Ive never planted any seeds though....Im just offering them to anyone who would like to try it..sam