Those “spider web looking” things on tree branches are almost always silky nests made by caterpillars, not by spiders.

What they usually are

Most of the time they are:

  • Fall webworms – caterpillars that build big, cloudy webs over the ends of branches, mainly in late summer and fall.
  • Eastern tent caterpillars – caterpillars that build dense “tents” in the branch crotches or where a branch meets the trunk, mostly in spring.

Both spin a communal nest where many caterpillars live and feed together, so it looks like a giant spider web wrapped around parts of the tree.

How to tell them apart (quick look)

  • Web location:
    • Webworms: at the tips of branches.
* Tent caterpillars: in the **forks/pockets** where branches join.
  • Season:
    • Webworms: late summer into fall.
* Tent caterpillars: early to mid-spring.

Are they dangerous?

  • They mainly cause cosmetic damage on mature trees; they can strip some leaves but rarely kill established trees.
  • Young or already stressed trees can be hit harder because repeated defoliation (losing leaves) weakens them.
  • The caterpillars are generally not poisonous to people or pets, though skin contact can be irritating for some people.

What you can do about them

If it’s your tree and the webs bother you:

  • Use a broom or a long pole to tear open or knock down the webs you can safely reach; this exposes the caterpillars to predators and weather.
  • Prune out small, heavily infested twigs or branches if it doesn’t ruin the tree’s shape.
  • For big, recurring problems on valuable trees, local arborists or extension services sometimes recommend targeted treatments timed to when young caterpillars first hatch.

If the tree is otherwise healthy, many people simply leave them alone and let birds and other insects eat the caterpillars.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.