They are battery operated, right? Is there a switch on the head? So the only way to get to it to turn it off would be to turn the water off first. I was just looking at them again yesterday and noticed the battery part.

I used to live in the west but I don't know the life cycle of your tent. I expect it amounts to one strike in a season and a defoliated tree that had been vigorous will easily withstand defoliation in spring by caterpillars. Of course, there will not be a crop this year but could be next as the trees will have plenty of time to form flower buds and store energy for next season. The leaves should begin growing immediately after they've been defoliated and within a couple of weeks energy will begin to flow into the bank.

Many people think that the tentworm caterpillars eating a trees leaves will kill it but that does not happen. The tree simply leafs out again and goes on about its business. Many people, in an effort the control these wee buggers, do things that are more harmful to the trees than the caterpillars would be, but understanding a bit about these wee buggers can help keep them, as well as the Gypsy Moth and any other leaf eater there is. The Eastern Tentworm Caterpillar female moth lays eggs in a mass on the branches of favorite trees typically 6 to 18 inches in from a branch tip. In the spring when the larva are getting ready to hatch what I have seen is these egg masses turn a light bronze color, but they can be seen from the time Ma makes that mass until long after the larva hatch out. The first step in control would be a dormant oil spray. The second step in control is after the wee buggers hatch and before they get too big, although there does need to be leaves out, and that is a spray of Bacillus thuringiensis, - Kurstaki, a spray sold as Thuricide, Dipel, and several others. A last resort might be a pyrethrin based spray used with due care since it is a broad spectrum poison that will also kill beneficial insects.

I agree with Craftylady--do a little more research first. When I think of Nylon, I don't think "plastic". I'm sure there is a way to paint it, but not sure what product would work and not crack. I used the plastic paints on some mesh look slingback seats on a patio set,and it worked really well. They've been out in the sun and rain and are holding up well. Maybe you could find a little umbrella of the same type fabric and experiment on it before you do your big tent??? Good luck, and please come back and let us know what you ended up using. Luvs