oak moths

My overgrown yard is a haven to the birds. Seeds, bugs abound.

I notice as I go out to the garbage area early this morning that the oak trees look dead. The oak moths have eaten though the leaves, leaving skeletons of ribs hanging from the branches. Sitting here writing this I am pulling off tiny wiggling caterpillars from my clothes, caterpillars that jumped or fell on to me this morning.

It's pretty discouraging in this dry season to wonder if the trees are going to die or will they come back to life with renewed vigor and green leaves. The pine trees are the last outpost of wild green in my neighborhood.