Have you seen this on your shrubs? This innocent looking thing might be mistaken for a pinecone, or other seed formation on many trees and shrubs. It is not! This insidious little critter is a BAGWORM. It is a wingless female moth, and this is it’s cocoon. It cuts little pieces of leaves off the host tree, and sticks them to it’s cocoon. It can cut the cocoon loose to move about and feed, and then reattach it to the tree. It lays HUNDREDS of eggs inside the cocoon.  When they hatch, this can spell large scale problems, or death, to that tree. The new bagworms will spread to whatever is nearby, and the cycle begins again.

Control of Bagworm

Bagworms have certain preferred plants to eat, but can also be found on other varieties. They are especially fond of arborvitae and junipers, but can sometimes be found on maple and others as well. The best course of action is to find and hand-pick as many of the cocoons as possible. This is most effective in a small scale infestation. Look carefully, as they are easily hidden amongst the branches.

Tell-tale signs of a problem are a sudden browning of one or more areas on a tree. Look closely for these cocoons. If they are present, you have a problem. For large-scale infestations, power spraying is recommended.

While it is a little late in the season for bagworms, the eggs will over-winter in the cocoons, so finding them now is crucial. Remove them, seal them in a plastic bag, and put them in the trash. Simply throwing them on the lawn does little good. They could still hatch, and find your trees.

For further information, or questions, contact us.