Scientific Name: (Thyridopteryx ephemeraformis)
Bagworms are Lepidoptera in the superfamily Tineoidea and are recognized for building small protective casings that they could move with them. They live on the host plants and carry their protective casing with them wherever they move to feed on the plant's foliage. These cases are a hiding place for them since they become adult fliers and never come. The female moth lays eggs within these cases as they can't fly due to the absence of body wings. However, male bagworms leave the casings in search of mating partners. Overall, the bagworm family consists of only about 1350 species, and most of them live on pine, junipers, spruce, arborvitae, and other evergreen plant species including, Christmas trees. They also attack some deciduous trees whereas, their spread is sluggish due to the non-motility of adult females. Usually, bagworms reach your garden space with infested nursery plants and the materials brought with them.
Origin and Distribution
Bagworms are the borne defoliators that persist throughout the eastern half of the USA, and most often in Nebraska and Kansas, whereas, they are rarely found in South Dakota. Bagworms are not the pests of economic concern in rural agriculture. However, they could pose a severe threat to vegetation in urban settings especially, public parks and edible gardens. They are found throughout the US, but, their pervasiveness in North America remains a serious concern due to the heavy defoliation associated with them.
Bagworms- Identification
Generally, Male moths are dusty black with transparent wings and a hairy body. Whereas, the wingspan is about 1 inch. Adult females are non-fliers having soft grub-like bodies. Wooly hairs are prominent on the posterior end of the yellowish body bearing no eyes, legs, or antennae. Moths of all stages remain enclosed in the bag construct with plant debris and silk. The mature larva is gloomy brown that measures 3/4th of an inch in length. Thoracic plates and heads are yellow and spotted. Usually, the appearance of bags resembles the material of the host plant utilized to make them. Eggs are also small and white that remains enclosed within the bags.
Bagworms- Lifecycle
Bagworms usually observe one generation in a year throughout their habitat in the US. Male moths appear in late summer or early autumn to search for their mating partners which, remain confined to their bags. Male moths enter through the bag openings, and mating takes place. The females deposit eggs into the pupal case that overwinter into the bag that attaches with the twigs. Eggs hatching takes place in late spring or early summer. Larva constructs a new bag soon after it emerges from the egg. A newly-constructed bag moves with the larva during feeding, and bag opening is utilized for this purpose. Another small opening is maintained on the posterior end of the bag for passing secretion. Larvae get fully developed in late summer, and if it was a male, it's ready to mate with a partner.
Symptoms and Types of Damage
After being severely attacked by the bagworms, some plants could observe total defoliation that results in the death of the host plants. Moderate to less severe infestations result in decreased vigor, and the host plant becomes susceptible to several insect pests and diseases. Since the larva attaches the bag with the twigs using a silk brand that often develops girds on the branches. Further growth enlarges such girds, and the nutrients mobilization may be compromised to such parts of the plants. As a result, grouting initiates in twigs, and mortality starts after observing quick defoliation. Periodically, the bags become exceptionally copious, increasing defoliation and mortality of the plants. Usually, the bags remain attached to the twigs through the moths that have already died or escaped.
Where do they come from?
Usually, bagworms appear in mid or late summer after the hatching takes place within the bags where female moths lay eggs. The optimum temperature for eggs hatching remains 50°F. Newly hatched larvae may be found near a big, or it may crawl to a new location in the vicinity where it could start feeding and developing a new bag. Once the bag is constructed using twigs and silk, it would carry a bag with him freely wherever they want to feed. The feeding would continue till late summer, and they could disappear again in winter.
How to Prevent Bagworms?
Handpick bagworms at the earliest when you detect them in your garden. Collect in a basket and dispose of them before the new generation expects out of overwintered bags.
You may induce parasitic wasps that live on bollworms. However, they take time to establish, and meanwhile, the bagworms population could increase beyond economic injury level. Some parasitic wasps are effective in controlling larva at the early stage while the adult could escape.
Adopt prevailing control methods that include IPM, organic, natural, and pesticides for the effective management of bagworms.
How to Get Rid of Bagworms
Biological Control
Monterey-Bacillus Thuringiensis
The product contains 98.35% active strains of Kurstaki subspecies of Bacillus Thuringiensis, and each milligram of the concentrate consists of more than 6 million viable spores. kurstaki is the topmost biological strain that effectively kills bagworms during the nymph stage after entering into their bodies while feeding on plants' foliage. The bacterium then releases a toxin inside the stomach of the bagworms that kill them, effectively. Monterey is the grower's first choice when looking for biological pest control. B.T applications perform well when bagworms become active feeders in the late spring or early summer. Additionally, the product is OMRI listed and qualifies all the standards of organic gardening in the US.
- INSECT KILLER - Designed for use on caterpillars and worm type insects, such as cabbage looper, bagworm, gypsy moth, fall cankerworm, elm spanworm, and more. Has no effect on birds, earthworms, or beneficial insects such as honeybees or ladybugs.
- FOLIAGE PROTECTOR - Designed for use on a variety of plants, including broccoli, celery, cabbage, turnip greens, mustard greens, cauliflower, melons, lettuce, tomatoes, shade trees, ornamentals, and many more.
- FOR ORGANIC GARDENING - OMRI Listed for Organic Gardening. Organic Material Review Institute reviews products to ensure a product complies with all organic standards under the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP).
One teaspoon per gallon of water will do the trick. The gardeners may repeat the application biweekly.
Bug Sales Trichogramma
Another very effective biological control that can be achieved from parasitic wasps like Trichogramma. Trichogramma wasps enter the bodies of the host while feeding on the plants’ foliage. Trichogramma wasps are usually egg parasitoids that live, reproduce, and develop into a larva within the body of other moths and caterpillars. This process kills the host, and they've released from the body of the host to search new target. Trichogramma species effectively kill about 200 species of pest moths and butterflies before they reach pupation. They're one of the major biological control across North America for controlling bagworms and several other pest species.
- 3 hanging cards containing approx, 12,000 eggs in total
- Guarentee live delivery!
The product package contains 3-squares consisting of approximately 12000 eggs that are enough for 500 square feet of your garden space.
Organic Control
Bonide- Captain Jack's Dead Bug Brew
This product contains 0.5% of Spinasad A and B which is approved for ready-to-use in organic gardening. The spinosad is derived from naturally occurring soil bacterium, which is highly toxic for the majority of agricultural and garden pests. A mixture of spinosyn A and spinosyn D directly affects the nervous system of insect pests and they splash their muscles, restlessly. This process leads to paralysis and death ultimately in the next one or two days provided the insect's body receives Spinosad solution, directly. It's safe to use on edible plants including, vegetables and orchards. Otherwise, bagworms, beetles, borers, and caterpillars are their specific target.
- INSECT KILLER - This pest control is great for use on bagworms, borers, beetles, caterpillars, codling moth, gypsy moth, spider mites, loopers, leaf miners, tent caterpillars, thrips and more.
- VARIETY OF FOLIAGE - Protects a wide variety of plants including fruiting vegetables, cucurbits, cole crops, leafy vegetables, tuberous vegetables, stone fruits, bushberries, and pome fruits.
- TARGETS PROBLEM INSECTS - Product is intended for control of listed insects. It does not significantly impact predatory beneficial insects, predatory mites, and spiders while controlling target pests.
If you have purchased a Concentrated pint, add 2 ounces per gallon of water.
Greenskeeper's Choice- Neem Oil
It's a cold-pressed oil that is derived from Neem Tree (Azadirachta indica) and contains 70% Azadirachta. It is a multipurpose and unique product that works against several plant diseases, funguses, and insect pests that harm most garden and house plants. Neem oil is an essential part of organic gardening, and typically this product is OMRI listed. The product offers several methods to deploy against Bagworms and other pests that include foliar spraying, fertigation, and drenching. No residual effects, safe for humans, pollinators, and the environment.
- [ 100% Pure Cold Pressed Neem Oil ] - Contains 100% pure neem oil cold pressed from the fruits and seeds of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica). The cold pressing process retains the most nutrients possible and preserves powerful active ingredients.
- [ Effective Spray for Indoor Plants ] - Keep your indoor plants happy and healthy with beautiful green shiny leaves by treating them with neem oil concentrate, diluted into an effective spray form. Safe for spider plant, snake plant, pathos & ivy and more.
- [ Protects Outdoor Plants & Gardens ] - Our neem oil plants spray improves leaf shine and offers effective protection against harmful damage. Use as a systemic treatment or soil drench for outdoor herb & vegetable gardens, fruit trees, flowering plants and bushes.
Mix 1 ounce concentrate in one gallon of water besides mixing 2- teaspoons of mild liquid soap as an adhesive.
Chemical Control
Orthene- Systemic Soluble Insecticide
Synthetic pesticide orthene is 97.4% Acephate which is a highly toxic systemic insecticide for controlling hard to kill insect pests of several species including bagworms. It's also helpful against the majority of sucking, chewing, and biting pests that often damage plants' foliage when they exceed economic injury levels. It also kills insects by skin contact and systemic action. Since the product is highly hazardous it may not be allowed in your locality. Kindly check the product label and carefully read the instructions before purchasing.
- Acephate -- 97.4%
- Orthene 97 WP Turf Tree Ornamental - 1can (.773LB) is the proven choice for key insect control in dozens of high value vegetable crops as well as soybeans, cotton and tobacco.
- Common Rose Pests Controlled: Aphids Japanese Beetle Tent Caterpillar Rose Budworm Oblique Banded Leafroller Fruit Tree Leafroller Omnivorous Leafroller Earwigs Grasshoppers Bristly Roseslug Curled Sawfly Scale Spittlebugs Whitefly Flower thrips & Leafhoppers. Other Uses: Orthene Turf Tree & Ornamental Spray is a broad spectrum systemic insecticide that controls many different species of both sucking and chewing insect pests on a wide range of ornamental plants. It can also be used as an
Never apply more than two times during one cropping cycle. Add 10 grams of wettable powder per gallon of water for foliage spraying.
Spectracide- Malathion Insect Spray Concentrate
It contains 50% Malathion which can be sprayed on the first sighting of bagworms and other pests at the start of spring and repeated in autumn. The product is highly toxic and not allowed to spray on edible gardens for long-lasting residual effects. Some states may have imposed restrictions on its use. Malathion is equally effective against many sorts of crawling, sucking, chewing, and biting insects besides killing bagworms. It's better to apply it around homes on ornamental shrubs and trees if the bagworms' infestations go out of control.
- MALATHION INSECT SPRAY: Protects flowers, vegetables, fruits, shrubs, roses and other ornamentals as listed.
- KILLS LEAF-EATING INSECTS: Controls aphids, red spider mites, mealybugs, thrips, scales, whiteflies and other listed unwanted insects in and around the garden.
- CONCENTRATE FORMULA: Mix with water at the rates listed on the label.
Add one level teaspoon per gallon of water to target all types of insect pests.
Check out our other guides on common garden bugs.