Dear Y. Diaz, You have Bagworms, caterpillars from moths in the family Psychidae that construct a “bag” from silk and plant material from their host plants. Only the Grass Bagworm and Evergreen Bagworm varieties produce male moths that are capable of flying once they reach maturity. The adult female moth does not leave the bag the caterpillar created. Copyright © 2020ISU Extension and Outreach If you see an adult bagworm moth flying free, it’s a male – they appear fuzzy and black, with transparent wings. The bags hanging on the trees in the fall and winter contain the eggs for the next generation (they will hatch the following year). Each caterpillar makes its own bag that it carries around as it feeds with the head and legs sticking out the open, top end of the bag. The bag ranges in size from 6 to 152 mm (0.25 to 6 inches) and is constructed from silk and bits of leaves, twigs, and Bagworm sacks can be very hard to find because they look like pine cones. Solutions If there are a significant number of these caterpillars they can be controlled by spraying the affected trees and shrubs with Organic Caterpillar Bio-Control or spraying regularly with Organic Insect Control . Insecticides become much less effective as the season progresses because of the increased size of the larva and its bag. Aptly named, these little creatures live much of their lives inside a self-spun silk bag. Bagworm species are found globally, with some, such as the snailcase bagworm (Apterona helicoidella), in modern times settling continents where they are not native. Small larvae are more vulnerable to insecticides, and feeding damage is relatively minor. The cases of dried plant leaves, evergreen needles, or lichen bits are often seen moving by themselves until a closer inspection reveals the engine behind it all. Photo credit: melvyn yeo/Flickr. The bagworm moth caterpillar is a wonder. 943 points • 230 comments - Bagworm moth caterpillar collects and saws little sticks to construct elaborate spiral log cabins to live in - IWSMT has amazing images, videos and anectodes to … If the caterpillar feels threatened it can seal off the end of the cocoon, cutting a new opening once the threat has passed. Bagworms over-winter in the egg stage inside female bags attached to plants. They are covered with dead needles, so they appear more noticeable in contrast to the green deciduous needles at this time. And since the cases are composed of materials from their habitat, they are naturally camouflaged from predators such as birds and other insects. The Hag Moth is a member of the Slug Caterpillar Moth family. The eggs remain in the bags on the trees till the following spring and hatch about mid-June to start the cycle over. Bagworms are not really worms, but caterpillars, the immature stages of a nondescript moth. © Amusing Planet, 2020. Many of the larvae (caterpillars) of these moths are visual oddities. The caterpillars are initially about 1/4 inch long, but they grow rapidly as they feed on plant foliage. At maturity, the larvae may reach one inch in length. In the end of the summer the bagworm caterpillars stop feeding and seal each bag shut after securely tying it to a twig, stem or even nearby structure. Each species makes a distinctive looking case. Bagworm larvae feed on the foliage of both evergreen and deciduous trees, especially these favorite host plants: cedar, arborvitae, juniper, and false cypress. They move somewhat like turtles, pushing their heads out of the opening at the top to advance forward and then drag the case behind. Will the bare areas green back up in spring? Different species use different plant materials to make their bags. Bagworms complete their growth in August or early September. Where do bagworms come from? Have you noticed small greyish to white colored bugs hanging on your walls or ceiling? The larva is also transported to nearby plants by wind. They poke their head out of the top of their case, collect additional twig, cuts them off to appropriate size and attaches them temporarily to the top of the case. The cases of the bagworm moth are incredibly tough and very difficult to break open. The most easily identified feature of bagworms is the tough, portable, silken case they build to live in. After mating the female lays 500 to 1000 eggs within her bag and then she dies. The cases of the more primitive species are flat, while specialized species exhibit a greater variety of case size, shape, and composition. It is well known to commercial tree services and arboriculturists I have caterpillars that look like Buck moth caterpillars pictured on an Alabama site. Attacked plants may be partially defoliated, weakened and rendered unsightly though it is not uncommon for complete defoliation to occur resulting in death of the conifer trees mentioned above. In Missouri, they are most commonly noticed on eastern red cedar and on the various junipers and arborvitaes used in landscaping. Bagworm moth, (family Psychidae), any of a family of insects (order Lepidoptera) that are found worldwide and named for the baglike cases the larvae construct around themselves. Photo by Rich Pope. Some may spin a silk thread that catches the wind and carries them off to new trees. When many small bagworms are present and feeding, an insecticide may be needed to prevent serious damage. Caterpillars emerge from overwintering eggs within the bag in June and create small bags as they begin to feed. Each segment of the caterpillar's body has a pair of spots on the back. They have red heads--reddish brown. Deer have eaten the foliage on the bottom portions of several arborvitae. Damage by mature larvae is especially destructive to evergreen plants. If you live outside of Iowa please do not submit a sample without contacting the Plant & Insect Diagnostic Clinic. As a caterpillar, in the larval stage, this insect is rarely seen. Bagworms live inside the bag and when it comes time for metamorphosis, they frequently leave the plant upon which they have been feeding and anchor the bag to a sheltered location where they pupate. Ames, IA 50011-2031 Soon after hatching they spin a cocoon-like bag to attached with pieces of leaves from the plants they feed upon. As the bagworm grows, it expands its case by adding more twigs to the top. are one of their favorite hosts. Initially, the bags are around 1/8 inch long. Most commercial and home landscape insecticides are effective against small bagworms. Or maybe it looks like some kind of egg sac? Bagworms are not really worms, but are caterpillars - they are the immature stage of a moth. These bagworms have clear wings that measure about one inch wide and have black and furry bodies. The fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) is a moth in the family Erebidae known principally for its larval stage, which creates the characteristic webbed nests on the tree limbs of a wide variety of hardwoods in the late summer and fall. Begin looking for bagworms during the winter or early spring. Caterpillars of a few other species construct bags or sacks (i.e, case bearing clothes moths, cigar case makers), however, only bagworms incorporate plant debris into the sacs. The Evergreen Bagworm and the Grass Bagworm are the only species to produce male moths that are capable of flight. Trees such as sycamore, willow, and other deciduous trees, usually refoliate after an episode of heavy defoliation. {{posts[0].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[1].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[2].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[3].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, Kowloon Walled City, a Population Density Nightmare, Anatoli Bugorski: The Man Who Stuck His Head Inside a Particle Accelerator, Hotel Belvédère: The Iconic Swiss Hotel on The Edge of The Rhone Glacier. Bagworm moths make their homes in many types of trees, especially cedar trees. The bagworm moth (Psychidae) of the family Lepidoptera might be a pest for Botanists, but for Lepidopterists they are one of the rare architects of the animal world. Covered in a brown, short-haired coat, the tentacle-like arms extend and reach out as the caterpillar crawls, giving the appearance of a terrestrial octopus. What damage do bagworms do? The family Psychidae is distributed widely in North, South, and Central America between Banff, Canada to the southern tip of Argentina (Davis 1964). Bagworm larvae injure plants when they feed on needles and leaves. The cases of bagworm moths are attached to rocks, trees or leaves, but they do not stay rooted to the same spot. The pouches bagworms create are about one and a half to two inches long. The bagworm caterpillar lives its entire life inside a tough protective case made of silk and camouflaging bits of foliage. The hairy caterpillars vary in color and come in two forms: red-headed and black-headed. About the size of a quarter, male bagworms are ashy-black moths with transparent wings. They do look like the buckmoth you have pictured but don't see the distinctive red head in your photo. Larvae crawl to nearby plants and their bags can be seen hanging on trees that they feed on. Caterpillars grow throughout the summer and pupate in August or September. They tend to be pale yellow or green in color, though some may be darker. The early instar stages during the month of June can easily be overlooked. The adult moths in the bagworm family only live for a few days and do … In North America, the bagworm is distributed throughout the eastern United States to Nebraska and as far north as southern Michigan in the Midwest U.S. (Rhainds and Fagan 2010). The attachment substance used to affix the case to host plant, or structure, is also very strong, and in some case require a great deal of force to remove given the relative size and weight of the actual structure itself. After they mate, the females lay their fertilized eggs in their old bags. The common Bagworm Caterpillar (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) has undergone egg hatch throughout much of the state during the past few weeks (GDD = 600-900). Treatment in late June to early July before bags exceed 1/2-inch long is recommended. Each caterpillar makes its own bag that it carries around as it feeds with the head and legs sticking out the open, top end of the bag. After mating, the females deposit their eggs and die. Young caterpillars feed on the upper epidermis of host plants, sometimes leaving small holes in the foliage. Once the eggs hatch, the larva spins a silk strand that hangs down it. They are called bagworms because, shortly after they are born, they begin spinning a silken case or sac around themselves, using silk from glands associated with their mouth. These strcutures are called cases, and bagworm moths are also known as "case moths”. The female bagworm moth is a striking iridescent blue with orange wing tips. At this time, the 1-2 inch long bags are permanently attached to plant twigs by means of tough silken threads. Bagworm egg sacks are brown and one and a half to two inches (3.8 to 5 cm) long. They eat spiderwebs, wool, and the discarded larval cases of members of its own species. The bagworm moth (Psychidae) of the family Lepidoptera might be a pest for Botanists, but for Lepidopterists they are one of the rare architects of the animal world. Bagworm cases from previous season. A good way to keep them away is to keep your air conditioner on and your house cool. For the first few weeks after hatch, the smaller Bagworms do not produce conspicuous feeding symptoms. The bagworm commonly attacks arborvitae, red cedar, juniper and spruce trees though it has been reported to eat the leaves and needles from over 128 different trees and shrubs.