My daughter in Mason City has the most bizarre worms eating her evergreen trees and bushes (mugho). They are approx. 1/8" wide, dk green, 3/4-1" in length, and are in clusters (no bags) that move in a synchronized motion every few seconds. They are gross! And they have killed one tree and are now on the bushes. Do you have any idea what these are? The neighbor has spruce trees that have died. They are very large and mature trees. Could something from them have moved to the pines? I didn't think spruce and pine had the same diseases, insects, bugs, aliens. Thanks! Carmen Brainard

Hi Carmen, sounds like European pine sawfly. this website gives more info and pix so you can see if the pix match what she has. http://urbanext.illinois.edu/bugreview/europeanpinesawfly.html they feed on last year's needles. one year's feeding is not too bad but multple years can kill branches and trees. sprays of neem oil, sevin, or spinosad as soon as larvae are seen are effective. BT products do not work since larvae are not true caterpillars. be sure to read and follow all label directions. Sandy