Catawba worms

[Bayouboy]

Every fresh water fish loved those things where I grew up. We used to put them in a quart jar with cornmeal and freeze them. Then, use them later after the trees ran out.

[Ouch]

One of the engineers I work with is Canadian (not that there's anything wrong with that). He sent me a pic last Thursday asking how to kill "worms that are eating his tree." They were gobba worms, so they are now protected. I'm looking for a tree close to my house to transplant a few.

[Snowflake Killa]

I guess they're gone with the horned toads too. Oh and the bobwhite quail in East Texas

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[hogslayer78]

There was a guy that used to sell them right there in Goodrich, soon as you exit 59 onto 1988. We used to buy them there when I was a kid. Grandpa had few trees we put them on and they came back a few years and then never did get another crop. He would also buy them from a guy in Buna years ago.

[Jkbow]

If your tree doesn't have any worms each year you have to transplant them for sure to get them kicked off.

[steve morton]

Would work like dynamite on Big Sam.
Cant even get a bite here at home in Central Texas.
Just my observation.

[Razrbk89]

My parents have a big tree right in their yard that loads up. Definitely some good bait!

[kurt68]

I would kill the cats on Lake Texoma with catalpa worms. Crack for them is correct. They have to be introduced to your tree if you don't have any. That's the only way to get them.

[waterdog]

http://www.catawbaworms.com/

[SaltwaterSlick]

I was just doing some reading about these worms and their final stage the Catalpa Sphinx Moth... This paragraph caught my attention! I'd heard about freezing them in cornmeal, and my dad and his brothers tried that several times without success... I'm wondering if they over or under froze them or if this is in fact true... Also never heard of the other preservation method. Sure would be interested in finding out. I'd love to find me some small trees to transplant to my property.
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"While the average homeowner might want to protect their catalpas from damage, in some areas of the country they are planted to deliberately attract the larvae. Prized as fish bait because their tough texture makes for easy hooking, the worms also ooze a bright fluorescent green fluid that smells sweet to the surrounding fish.

Once harvested, the catalpa worms can be preserved alive by placing them in cornmeal packed in an airtight container and then frozen. When the container is opened and the worms are removed from the meal, they thaw and become active.

Another method of preserving the caterpillar for future use is "pickling" them in a baby food jar filled with corn syrup. The jar should be immediately stored in a refrigerator and has an indefinite shelf life."

[Smart]

We spent one year in Georgia when I was younger near Albany, Georgia and I can remember my Dad having us pick them off the leaves for catfish and bream bait. Good memories there from a long time ago.

[Jcjohnson]

Wasn’t sure what y’all were talking about but I googled it them. Seems like I used to see them all the time here but not as much since I’ve been back here the last few years. I’ll see if I can’t find some though. Pm on the way killa

[Bowshark]

We have one really large tree (over 30 years old) and we see a few worms ever year but not many.

[Muskles]

They were so bad on my trees a few years ago, they killed a couple and stunted the rest. I think we had worms on each tree 4 to 5 times that year. This is the first year since, that I've seen them. I didn't get to harvest any before they disappeared. The last time I froze some, we blanched them. Can't tell that was any better than freezing them in cornmeal.

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[Muskles]

I guess they're gone with the horned toads too. Oh and the bobwhite quail in East Texas

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I'm south of Tyler. Not sure how far you are from me, but I can try to get some for you next time I have them.

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