Cotoneaster webworm

Cotoneaster webworm larvae spin loose silken webbing around Cotoneaster dammeri foliage and new shoots, feeding on leaves and creating a messy appearance. You will see webbed sections in branch tips during late spring and summer, with skeletonized or partially consumed leaves inside the web. This is an appearance problem; the host plant usually survives and recovers quickly after defoliation.

Hand-prune webbed branches and remove them from the plant to disrupt breeding and improve appearance immediately. No chemical control is typically warranted for this webworm. Maintain plant vigor through proper watering to promote rapid regrowth after any defoliation. Natural parasitoids eventually suppress populations. This is a minor cosmetic pest that requires intervention only if webbing appearance is objectionable.