Summer often brings a plethora of fun outdoor activities and events, but it also brings the warmth and moisture that Bagworms can thrive in.
This creates the need for Bagworm Control for many homeowners who struggle in knowing how to get rid of bagworms.
Along with the emerald ash borer, bagworms are some of the most annoying pests for the beautiful lawn, trees, and landscape you’ve built and cared for! At Ryan Lawn & Tree, we’re always on the lookout for anything that can destroy your sacred outdoor living space — whether you’re in Tulsa, St. Louis, Wichita, Kansas City, or Springfield — so we’re offering this quick rundown on how to properly get rid of bagworms as well as common FAQs about them.
You may only think of bagworms as those long, thin, brown sacks they create of silk in the fall and you see hanging from your favorite evergreen. However, this seemingly innocent silk holds up to 1000 eggs which hatch in the late spring or early summer and then feed on your beautiful green branches, making proper bagworm control necessary.
At Ryan Lawn & Tree’s Midwest locations, the most common targets for bagworms are eastern red cedar, junipers, and arborvitae. Bagworms also sometimes damage pines, spruce, bald cypress, maple, box elder, sycamore, willow, black locust, oaks, and roses.
Caterpillars can be a nuisance for bald cypress tree owners These voracious eaters chew through leaves and needles, damaging branches and weakening trees Getting rid of caterpillars on bald cypress requires persistence and a multi-pronged approach. With prompt action, you can protect the health and beauty of your trees.
Identify the Culprits
The first step is confirming you actually have caterpillars Look for signs like
- Chewed or missing foliage
- Frass (caterpillar poop) on branches and ground
- Curled, wilted, or dying leaves
- Silk nests or webbing
- Caterpillars themselves crawling on the tree
Common bald cypress pests include:
- Bagworms: Make spindle-shaped silk bags they carry around for camouflage.
- Tent caterpillars: Form silky nests in tree branches.
- Gypsy moth caterpillars: Hairy with colorful tufts; leave behind skeletonized leaves.
- Fall webworms: Create messy webs that envelop branches and leaves.
Correct identification helps choose the right removal methods.
Remove Caterpillars by Hand
Manually removing caterpillars is time-consuming but effective for light infestations. Wear gloves and long sleeves for protection.
- Pluck caterpillars off leaves and drop them in soapy water.
- Use a stick or rake to scrape tents and webs off branches.
- Cut off and dispose of webworm tents or bagworm sacks.
Pruning affected branches also eliminates caterpillars while promoting new growth. Just be careful not to overprune.
Apply Biological Insecticides
Natural insecticides derived from microbes can control caterpillars without harming beneficial insects, birds, or pets.
- Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) contains bacteria deadly to caterpillars when ingested. It’s very effective on young larvae.
- Spinosad also works by disrupting caterpillar digestion. It’s organic and breaks down quickly.
- Horticultural oils smother soft-bodied insects on contact. These oils must coat caterpillars to work.
Always follow label directions. Hit caterpillars early before populations explode.
Use Pesticidal Soaps
Insecticidal soaps dissolve soft bodied pests like caterpillars on contact. They can also smother eggs before they hatch.
- Safely treat baldy cypress trees by spraying leaves, shoots, branches.
- 2-3 applications about a week apart helps control hatching larvae.
- Works best on younger caterpillars under 1⁄2 inch long.
Soaps may harm beneficials. Apply selectively and use care around water features.
Attract Natural Predators
Nature provides its own pest control. Attract beneficial insects by:
- Planting native flowers and herbs. Pollen and nectar feeds predators.
- Providing water sources like bird baths.
- Avoiding pesticides so populations can thrive.
Key bald cypress allies include:
- Lady beetles: Larvae and adults devour aphids, mites, and small caterpillars.
- Lacewings: All life stages prey on soft-bodied insects.
- Birds: Chickadees, nuthatches, and others feed voraciously on caterpillars.
A healthy ecosystem is your best defense against bald cypress pests!
Apply Sticky Barrier Bands
Sticky bands around tree trunks prevent crawling caterpillars from climbing back up after dropping to the ground.
- Wrap bands in fall to block young caterpillars.
- 2-3 inch width recommended for effectiveness.
- Reapply fresh bands as they get covered in debris and insects.
This targets larvae, limiting defoliation the following spring.
Use Pheromone Traps
For severe infestations, pheromone traps lure adult moths, reducing mating and offspring.
- Gypsy moth traps use a synthetic female moth sex hormone.
- Male moths follow the scent and get caught on the sticky surfaces.
- Traps must be up before mating season begins.
While effective, they work best alongside other control methods.
Let Trees Recover Naturally
If defoliation occurs, give trees time to re-leaf before taking further action.
- Remove tents, webs, and larvae so population can’t rebound.
- Water during drought to help growth.
- Mulch around base but avoid touching trunk.
Healthy bald cypress can recover from a single defoliation.
When to Call an Arborist
For heavy infestations, tree health experts have additional options:
- Trunk injections of systemic insecticides.
- Professional grade spray equipment for better coverage.
- Airblast sprayers for taller trees.
- Soil treatments to absorb through roots.
Arborists can also assess tree health and structural safety after defoliation or an attack by boring insects that often follow caterpillars.
Prevent Future Bald Cypress Caterpillar Problems
Prevention is the best solution! Follow these tips to avoid caterpillar issues:
- Monitor trees weekly during spring and early summer.
- Remove egg masses, silken tents, or larvae early on.
- Maintain tree vigor with proper watering, fertilization, and pruning.
- Promote beneficial predator insects in your landscape.
- Use pheromone traps to monitor moth populations.
- Treat trees preventively with systemic trunk sprays or soil injections.
- Schedule regular professional pest control treatments.
With diligence and a multi-pronged approach, you can protect your beautiful bald cypress trees from destructive caterpillar damage. Don’t allow these hungry pests to destroy your landscape. Use this comprehensive guide to rid your trees of caterpillars for good.
Life-Cycle Of A Bagworm
The life cycle of a bagworm has four stages — the egg, larvae, pupal, and adult.
- Bagworm Eggs — The overwintered eggs (in the year-old female bags) begin to hatch in late April or early May.
- Bagworm Larvae — Young larvae (caterpillars) begin to feed and construct bags immediately. As the larvae grow, they add to the bag until it’s at its full size — around 2” long. They use the silk to fasten the bag to a tree step.
- Bagworm Pupal — In August, pupation occurs inside the bag.
- Bagworm Adult — In late August and September, the adult males emerge as bagworm moths and search for wingless females still inside their bags for mating. After mating, the female lays several hundred white eggs inside her old pupal case, drops from the bag, and dies.
How To Get Rid Of Bagworms
The easiest way to get rid of bagworms is to cut off the bags by hand and destroy them. Lift branches, clip off bagworm egg sacks, and drop them into the bucket of water with dish soap, making sure they are submerged fully. Dump the soaked bagworms into a sealed plastic bag and throw them in your trash. Repeat this procedure every fall, winter, and early spring to reduce bagworm populations before the eggs hatch. If this process doesn’t appeal to you, or your bagworm population is overwhelming, turn to your certified arborists at Ryan Lawn & Tree for help!
Guide to Removing Box Tree Caterpillars by Raking
Do cypress trees have spider mites?
They are attracted to hot, dry conditions, and Texas definitely has plenty of that. Spider mites are mostly found on the underside of leaves and leave behind silk webs, eggs and damage. Some trees that are susceptible to this insect include cypress and cedar trees. Here are a few varieties that are especially known for having spider mites:
How do you get rid of caterpillars?
Just prune the small tips of the affected branches and take the caterpillars along with their webs. Gather them in a bucket and either exterminate or release them far away from your property (and someone else’s). Don’t forget to always wear gloves when you collect caterpillars.
How do bagworm caterpillars eat a tree?
Bagworm caterpillars stay in the dangling bags and move them to other parts of the tree to continue feeding. The plump bagworm protrudes its head and part of the body from the bag to move around a tree. Late summer, the mature bagworm caterpillar firmly attaches the large bag to a branch in preparation for pupation.
Do caterpillars crawl under trees?
It is also incredibly annoying when you walk under a tree, and you wake up with two or three caterpillars in your hair or when you feel them crawling on your back. Once they leave their trees and start crawling, they can get inside your house, on porches, basements, or in any other places where you don’t want them.