Moonseed Moth. They may become abundant enough in some years to completely defoliate their host plant. After a 3-week pupal period, the adult moths emerge. or pupation. Bagworms are moths that feed on shrubs and trees during their larval stage. Click for a hub of Extension resources related to the current COVID-19 situation. X. The female moth will lay a cluster of a few hundred eggs on the underside of the leaves of a host plant in the spring and the eggs hatch approximately one week later. Consider contributing an image at the email address showcased at the bottom of this page. The small, silk weaving that resembles a Christmas tree ornament on your favorite tree or shrub is not decoration. What is a Bagworm? These bagworms usually pass the winter as large larvae, which feed a little in the spring before pupating in April or May. Despite its nickname, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis is not a worm, but a moth. Bagworms have one generation each year in Texas (some species possibly two). Bagworms can be successfully managed with insecticides. X. At maturity, caterpillars may be 3/4 to 1-inch long; the bags hanging from plants are 1-3/4 to 2 inches long and more than 1/2-inch wide. Literature: Hamman 1981; Johnson & Lyons 1988. Description: This insect is usually first detected by observing the bags produced by the larval (caterpillar) stages. It has been found in other countries, such as South Africa, Croatia, and in the north-east of Iran. The silken texture of the bag is hidden and strengthened by layers of leaves, twigs and bark fragments arranged in a crosswise or shingle fashion. The worm expels refuse through a small opening at the narrow, lower end of the bag and uses a wider opening at the top … This moth’s larvae spin unsightly baglike shelters in tree canopies and can cause serious damage through defoliation. Completely defoliated evergreen species such as arborvitae and juniper, can be killed. Regardless of the information provided in an Extension publication, always follow the product’s label. They have comblike antennae and usually have clear wings (which is very unmothlike), since they lose most of their wing scales as they squeeze out of their larval cases. Once the larvae are fully grown they stop feeding. The males leave their bags through the lower end and fly to seek females, leaving their pupal skin protruding from the bottom of the bag. The bagworm lives its entire life cycle inside the safety of its bag, which it constructs with silk and interwoven bits of foliage. But, that sense of wonder doesn’t translate when a black, fuzzy moth emerges from its bag! Large populations in forested areas are rare. Hire a professional exterminator if you do not have adequate equipment. Morning Glory Prominent. Bagworms are the larval form of a moth that takes a different form depending on its sex. The bagworm caterpillar lives its entire life inside a tough protective case made of silk and camouflaging bits of foliage. Females do not develop into moths, but remain inside bags and resemble maggots, with no functional eyes, legs, mouthparts or antennae. The live oak bagworm (O. abbotii) is abundant in the south-central part of the state, along the Gulf Coast to the Louisiana state line. Use insecticides containing acephate (Orthene®), Bacillus thuringiensis var. Males can also be attracted to lights. A wide range of boadleaf and evergreen trees and shrubs serve as hosts for bagworm species, including arborvitae and other ornamental conifers, box elder, cedar, cypress, elm, fruit and nut trees, juniper, live oak, locust, maple, persimmon, pines, salt cedar, sumac, sycamore, wild cherry, willow and many other ornamental plants. Several species occur in the state. Adult females resemble white maggots. When many small bagworms are present and feeding, an insecticide may be needed to prevent serious damage. All pesticides are potentially hazardous to human health and the environment. The bagworm ( Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) found on most evergreens lives in east-central Texas, from the Oklahoma state line to the Gulf Coast. Newly hatched bagworm caterpillars are about 1/25th of an inch long (Fig. Use spray equipment that gives complete coverage of all foliage. The information on this page is for educational purposes only. The most outlandish and impressive bagworm species construct homes resembling tiny log cabins. 3), is sooty black in color, and has clear wings with a 1-inch span and feathery antennae. Bird predation and insect parasitism can help keep bagworm outbreaks brief. There are a total of [ 377 ] Texas Moths in the ButterflyIdentification.org database. Each species has one generation per year. Excessive defoliation of these conifers may cause entire plant death during the following season. X. They make a cocoon-like bag in which to live, while they hang on the branches of trees and shrubs to feed. 2). Bagworms will migrate away from the food plant to find a suitable place for pupation, and they pupate inside the bag. When in doubt about any instructions, contact the pesticide seller or the manufacturer listed on the label for clarification. This Moth can be found in the following North American states / … Order: Lepidoptera. Larvae may hibernate during the winter and resume feeding in the spring before pupation. A now-empty case of a male bagworm is marked by the pupal “skin” left dangling from the bottom of the sac. 4) in her bag before dropping to the ground and dying. kurstaki, carbaryl (Sevin®), pyrethroids (bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin, etc. During the winter months, bags contain remains of female moths and eggs produced by them. For additional information, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent or search for other state Extension offices. Males are best reared from bags after caterpillars pupate. Male bagworm moths around bag in which male pupal skin emerged. Cocooned in their decorative dwellings for the last dregs of … The wingless females emerge only halfway and wait to mate with the males. Their growth and life changes are influenced by rainfall and season. Seven to 10 days later, the pupae of male moths wriggle out of the bottom of the bag before the male emerges, leaving the empty pupal skin behind. The adult plaster bagworm moths look like your typical moth. Bagworm Moths are a family of moths whose caterpillars hide in cases built from plant debris. During leaf-feeding, the caterpillars emerge from the top of the bag and hang onto the host plant with their legs and sometimes with a silken thread. In my area, one of the most serious bagworm moths is Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis, the Evergreen Bagworm Moth.The moth thrives in the eastern United States, New England, and west as far as Nebraska. Bagworm females cannot fly and local populations can build rapidly when established on preferred hosts, especially arborvitae, cedar, and juniper. Pick off all of the bags and destroy or discard them. Caterpillars grow throughout the summer and pupate in August or September. This pest rarely builds up large populations in foreste… As soon as the caterpillar of the bagworm moth hatches, it weaves a silk cocoon around itself, inside which it will live until it grows into an adult moth. The bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) is a common pest of many coniferous and deciduous trees in the eastern U.S. Handpicking bagworms off the plants is the cheapest way to control them, particularly in the winter months. Hibernated eggs may hatch as early as February. A wide range of boadleaf and evergreen trees and shrubs serve as hosts for bagworm species, including arborvitae and other ornamental conifers, box elder, cedar, cypress, elm, fruit and nut trees, juniper, live oak, locust, maple, persimmon, pines, salt cedar, sumac, sycamore, wild cherry, willow and many other ornamental plants. Mint-loving Pyrausta Moth. 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. Adult male evergreen bagworm moths are furry and look a lot like blackish bees with long, tapering abdomen tips. The silken texture of the bag is hidden and strengthened by layers of leaves, twigs and bark fragments arranged in a crosswise or shingle fashion. A spray application of BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) on the foliage of the host tree is the old standard, particularly on young caterpillars. During molts and pupation, caterpillars seal the bags. In addition to fir tree varieties, bagworms frequently infest live oak, elm, maple, and Indian Hawthorne. There are visible black or gray markings on the forewings. of black dots on the top of each body segment characteristic of the fall webworm. Adults emerge in the spring, although some emerge through October. User Tip: Click on the "X" found on each entry below to hide specific bugs from this page's listing. A larva closes its bag’s upper opening before each of the molts between developmental stages and before winter hibernation Adults emerge after the pupal stage. Feeding larvae of all stages occur during the spring and summer. During the late spring and summer, bags will contain caterpillars that can be removed. However, natural enemies often can’t prevent the bagworms from damaging plants. As it spreads its wings, you look in awe at the array of fluttering colors before you! The adult male, which resembles a small moth (Fig. Five Pictures. Web Site Maintenance: Neal Lee, Soil, Water, and Forage Testing Laboratory, Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, “Near-organic” and “Inorganic” Insecticides, Equal Opportunity for Educational Programs Statement, Texas AgriLife Extension publications can be found on the Web at the. Pesticide users are legally required to read and carefully follow all directions and all safety precautions on the container label. Habitat and Food Source(s): Caterpillars have chewing mouthparts. In the spring (late May, early June), tiny 1/25 inch long caterpillars hatch, lower themselves on silken strands to new foliage and construct a tiny conical bag which they carry upright as they move. Common Name: Bagworm 2), apply insecticide to plants. The evergreen bagworm thrives in the eastern United States as far west as Nebraska, north into New England and bordering the Gulf of Mexico south throughout Texas. It causes extensive damage to plants and trees. Although bagworms are not abundant every year, once a plant is infested the insect becomes a persistent problem unless controlled. ), spinosad, azadirachtin, neem oil, malathion, pyrethrins or insecticidal soap. Other bagworm species spend winter months as a partially-developed caterpillars that complete feeding and pupate in the spring. The bottom of the bag remains open to allow fecal material (frass) to pass out of the bag. Moderate defoliation is unsightly. This publication is a revision of L-1802, Bagworms, by Philip J. Hamman, former Extension entomologist. Each species’ slightly different habits and life cycles affect the timing of control measures. 3. It is a perennial moth like insect that is wingless and resides on a number of evergreen as well as junipers. After mating, the females deposit their eggs and die. The larval form appears worm-like, hence the name bagworm. 204. Because label instructions are subject to change, read the label carefully before buying, using and disposing of any pesticide. The following descriptors identify this insect: worm in case, pine needles, lichen, dead plant, litter, crawling, speckled, flying, brown, green, tan, black. Different species use different plant materials to make their bags. The adult female looks like a maggot, with no functional eyes, legs or antennae. Eggs are laid in the fall and hatch in the spring. Once mated, the adult female deposits 400 to 1,000 eggs in the empty pupal case (Fig. Bag of Metura elongatus which can grow to more than 120mm in length The Psychidae (bagworm moths, also simply bagworms or bagmoths) are a family of the Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). The worm expels refuse through a small opening at the narrow, lower end of the bag and uses a wider opening at the top as a door to crawl out to feed or repair its bag. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service is implied. Bagworms are actually caterpillars from various moth species. The hindwings are just a solid gray or dark brown color with no patterning. Scientific Name: Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis (Haworth) I had no idea what this was I was watching on my morning walk until I came home and looked it up. An adult male bagworm moth has left behind its house and pupae covering (protruding out the base of the bag) to seek out a mature female. Most of the moths emerge in April and May, but some appear through October. There are a total of (451) Texas Butterflies and Moths found in the Insect Identification database. Photo by Drees. ... Mini Bagworm Moth. As the caterpillars grow, the bags becomes more elongated. Young larvae drifting on the silk thread may spread the infestation to new host plants. Different species use different plant materials to make their bags. Bagworm Moth - Southeastern Arizona Texas Canyon, Dragoon, Arizona . The most easily identified feature of bagworms is the tough, portable, silken case they build to live in. Nearby host plants can remain unaffected. As the larvae hatch, they spin single threads of silk and attach to adjacent limbs or plants, where they begin building their own silk bags; they carry the bags upright as they move. Return to Results Page for Texas Insects . Click for a hub of Extension resources related to the current COVID-19 situation. Dispersal of bagworms to new host plants occurs when young caterpillars hanging from silken threads are spread by wind or perhaps by birds. A species of the desert bagworm (O. townsendi) is found from El Paso to Alpine and in the Trans-Pecos area of Texas. Check out this link to Dr. Merchant’s webpage on bagworms. Digital Guide to Moth Identification about viewing options Texas select region. The most easily identified feature of bagworms is the tough, portable, silken case they build to live in. Adult males are 1-inch-long black moths. Characteristics: Bagworms are also referred to as evergreen bagworms. The author is grateful for review comments by Carlos Bogran, John Jackman and Scott Ludwig. Infestations, which may not be noticed at first, can defoliate trees and shrubs, and kill these plants if left unchecked. Modest Sphinx. Caterpillars can be found throughout the spring and summer. Keep all pesticides in their original labeled containers and stored away from children. Never pour leftover pesticides down a drain. Typical insecticides will have no effect when sprayed on the bag full of caterpillars. Webworms or Tent Caterpillars: Fall webworms are another caterpillar that may be confused with bagworms. It is found south to the Gulf of Mexico and throughout Texas. The Bagworm Moth is typically 0.4 inches to 1.4 inches (12mm to 36mm) in size. These insects have bags that are about one to two inches long and will increase in size as the bagworm larval stage grows. Full grown caterpillars within bags are up to 1 inch long before pupating in August or September. The bagworm family is fairly small, with about 1,350 species described. X. Most species carry their bags along twigs and foliage with their feet or by an attached silk thread. Life Cycle: Winter is spent in the pupal stage in a silken cocoon in leaf litter or in cracks on rough bark. Those moths, likely bagworms, were busy eating your evergreen or tree before making their debut. 206. Texas A&M University - Department of Entomology • 2475 TAMU • College Station, TX 77843-2475 They fly and seek out a female to mate. Texas has several species of bagworms, including Astala edwardsi, A. confederate, Tyridopteryx meadi, T. ephemeraeformis, Cryptothelea gloveri, Oiketicus abbotii and O. townsendi. Bagworm, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis (Haworth) (Lepidoptera: Psychidae), larval “bag” on arborvitae. Texas Monthly Recommends: A Caterpillar That Builds a Tiny House for Itself. Eggs in bags thrown on the ground will hatch in the spring and develop into larvae that could reinfest the plants. Birds, insect parasites and insect predators are natural enemies of bagworms. Bags can be removed from host plants by hand. If handpicking isn’t practical or safe, use insecticide spray. These bags protect the caterpillars, or larvae, pupae, female adults and eggs of bagworms (Order Lepidoptera Family Psychidae, Fig. Determine the right time for treatment by collecting bags in late winter and keeping them in a container out of sunlight. They have two long visible antennas and a wingspan of about 12mm in length. 1). The Evergreen Bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis), commonly known as bagworm, eastern bagworm, common bagworm, common basket worm, or North American bagworm, is a moth that spins its cocoon in its larval life, decorating it with bits of plant material from the trees on which it feeds. Moths emerge from April throughout the summer. Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory, Texas A&M College of Agrculture and Life Sciences, For additional information, contact your local. Many popular tree varieties that flourish throughout Fort Worth, Arlington and the north Texas region are desired host trees for bagworms. X. Fall webworms are also sometimes called “bagworms,” but this term is more accurately used for true bagworms (Lepidoptera: Psychidae). 205. Crowded larvae may eat the buds on these conifers causing branch dieback and open, dead areas. 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. The best time to apply an insecticide is while the larvae are still small (less than 1/2-inch long), usually in May to early June for North Texas. Infested plants develop more bagworms each year because female stages do not fly. 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 summer. These bagworms usually pass the winter as large larvae, which feed a little in the spring before pupating in April or May. Entries are listed below in alphabetical order. 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. Bastiaan M. Drees, Professor and Extension Entomologist, The Texas A&M System. Some of the cocoons will contain a female bagworm and/or 300 plus eggs. 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 The young caterpillar comes Researchers watching bagworm eggs hatch and the caterpillars appear on infested trees noticed that the catalpa trees and Japanese tree lilacs in the area happened to be in bloom at that same time. Once the caterpillars hatch from the bags in the container (Fig. In most areas, insecticides applied in April, May and June are effective. bagworm moths. Fig. Apply insecticide soon after bagworm eggs have hatched or while the larvae are small and feeding. Mature male bagworms develop into black, fur-covered moths, slightly less than ¼-inch long, with clear wings. Females produce a clutch of eggs in their bags before dropping to the ground to die. After mating, females produce a large clutch (500 to 1,000) of eggs inside their bodies and die. Bagworms are moth caterpillars that fashion a bag from the foliage of the plants they feed upon. Seeing a butterfly emerge from its cocoon is magical. 203. This is a Bagworm in the family Psychidae. As the caterpillar grows through four or more molts (instars), it enlarges its bag. Adult males have short ½ inch-long clear wings, hairy black bodies and feathery antennae emerge. Chemical control is not as effective when the caterpillars close their bags to molt or pupate. Pest Status: Caterpillar stages in bags feed on leaves and can defoliate shrubs and trees; medically harmless. Bags vary in size (up to 2 inches long and ½ inch wide) by growth stage (instar) of the larva and between species, and appearance varies with the bits and pieces of host plant leaves, twigs and bark fragments woven in to the silken bag in a shingle-like fashion. Life Cycle: Although bagworm species vary slightly in habits and life cycle, on evergreens the bagworm spends winter months in the egg stage within the sealed bag produced by females the previous fall. According to Peterson's Guide on Caterpillars: "Bagworm eggs hatch inside the protective case where they were laid. Bagworms attack trees and shrubs including evergreens such as arborvitae, cedars, cypress, junipers, pines and spruce; and broadleaved plants such as apple, basswood, black locust, boxelder, elm, honey locust, Indian hawthorn, maple, various oaks, persimmon, sumac, sycamore, wild cherry and willow. 202. The presence of these empty cases signals the end of a generation of bagworm feeding. They love deciduous trees, coniferous trees, fruit trees and perennial flowers; however, they are only deadly to coniferous trees that don't lose their foliage. Texas Moths Her body is soft and yellowish-white. Moths emerge from April throughout A species of the desert bagworm (O. townsendi) is found from El Paso to Alpine and in the Trans-Pecos area. 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. Leaves may be damaged by having the outer layer of cells (epidermis) removed by small caterpillars or all tissues but major leaf veins removed by larger caterpillars. Their growth and life changes are influenced by rainfall and season.