I know exactly what you mean. Horrible, but somehow satisfying to protect the trees. I could not wait for beneficial insects to do them in or for the caterpillars to run through their life cycle, and birds didn’t seem to like them — the trees would have been denuded had I not taken action. Could they recover? Probably – but they would have been even more susceptible to disease and pests. In the end, I couldn’t handle the squirming under fire; drowning seemed more humane. I try not to kill anything these days if I can help it. The “fire on a pole” technique is worth remembering, though, for those desperate situations that require drastic measures in hard-to-reach areas! Fortunately, we haven’t had a serious outbreak since – and now that I’ve said that, it will probably happen! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. There is a lot we can learn from the Quakers!

Your comment made my day, Yolanda. I am not sure how gifted I am, but if my acts of terrorism actually helped someone, I can sleep better at night. As you embark on your own personal murderous rampage, I would concur that drowning is the most humane option. If, however, they have pushed you to the point of taking angry revenge or instilled such fear that you resort to absurd tactics (as I did, justified by my mission to “save the trees”) – may I just say: No Judgment Here! (I’ll leave that to the great horned caterpillar in the sky.) LOL! Best of luck to you! And thank you for signing up to the BF Fan Club!

It was high on the Yuk scale. I wouldn’t call it a pastel dye… more of a stain. Not one of my best experiments and not one that I am likely to repeat. Still, it was worth a shot. I file it in the “educational” category. Thanks for asking.