Fall webworms will feed on almost all shade, fruit and ornamental trees except for evergreens. Some preferred trees include maples, pecan, hickory, and sweetgum.

They construct their tents on the ends of branches and there is usually more than one generation each year. The caterpillars are an inch long, very hairy and pale green or yellow. They may have either a red or black head. After mating, the female moth lays her eggs on the underside of leaves in masses of 200-500 eggs. The first generation of caterpillars start to feed sometime in mid-spring to early summer. After feeding, they pupate in the soil and a second generation of webworms will be observed during August or September. The second generation of webworms usually causes more defoliation than the first generation. The caterpillars overwinter as pupae in cocoons that are hidden either in the bark of trees or in the soil. The moths emerge from mid-March to mid-late April.