Abundant inchworms won't harm trees, arborists say

The noticeable increase in inchworms this spring will not have any negative impact on trees, say arborists. For the next week or two, the worms will feed on new leaves before stringing down the trees and burrowing into the ground.

The inchworms are called Fall Cankerworms, and they will move into the next phase of their lifecycle as tree leaves mature.

Raleigh Parks and Recreation does not spray city trees for insects on such a large scale, but arborists will continue to monitor the Cankerworms to make sure trees are not harmed.