Texas Mountain Laurel (Sophora secundiflora) trees are slow-growing and expensive. So I was dismayed to check one morning and see 30 or so caterpillars munching on the fresh new growth of my tiny tree. The second photo is a crop of the first.
ID with the help of iNaturalist told me that these are caterpillars from the Genista Broom Moth, and further research revealed that they do indeed like to feed on the growing points of Texas Mountain Laurel trees. Leaves of these trees are often toxic to generalist herbivores, but these particular caterpillars are immune to those defense chemicals.
The choice had to be made to leave the caterpillars or remove them, so I consulted with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to decide whether to favor the tree or the moths. Verdict: Tree.
Mine is a small tree (thigh-high) and so my choice is to pick off all caterpillars that I see and throw them away from the tree, and to check several times a day until I see no more. There is no need for harsher measures. I caught this infestation fairly early and I think the tree will recover just fine.
Rewilding My Lot 
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