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‘Tis the season, as Charlotte residents watch out for cankerworms

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The spring season in Charlotte not only means warmer weather, but also the return of tiny, green cankerworms.

The eggs hatch in the spring and the green worms will sway from trees on silk strands. Cankerworms came out earlier this year because it was so warm in February, and they are are known to drop on unsuspecting walkers or joggers.

"You'll see them crawl all over you. They can get in your car if your windows are down," said Matt Betz with Davey Tree Expert Company.

(Click PLAY to watch meteorologist Vicki Graf talk to an expert about cankerworms)

Charlotte is one of the top cities for cankerworms because of the large tree canopy. Cankerworms can damage trees, especially willow oak, by eating the leaves.

"Any time you have a tree, that is in the decline, or is stressed it's going to be multiple issues that can impact the trees eventual death,” Betz said. “And the cankerworms are one of those issues."

“We've seen a ton of cankerworms. We've been very fortunate because we have put up bands which have captured them,” homeowner Ed McCutcheon said.

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