Are your trees looking a little more yellow or brown than green this year? The problem might stem from critters called bagworms, which are becoming a significant issue across the country. Since we’ve been getting a lot of questions from customers asking “what are bagworms” in Bartlesville, OK, we’ve put together this handy post. Continue reading to learn everything there is to know about these nasty pests.
What are they?
Bagworms are tiny caterpillars that get their name from the homes they create in your trees. Each fall, the insects use their silk, twigs, leaves and other pieces of the tree to create pinecone-shaped cocoons that blend in almost perfectly with the rest of the tree. While they’re in the cocoon, females can lay anywhere from 500 to 1,000 eggs.
Bagworms are usually found in conifers like pine, cedar, arborvitae, cypress and juniper trees, where they typically go unnoticed thanks to their camouflaged cocoons. They can also live in deciduous trees like maple, linden, sycamore and boxelder. Even though these trees don’t have pinecones, the bags can still be tough to see (especially if you’re not on the lookout for them).
Why are they a problem?
Bagworms don’t just set up shop in your trees and hang out until they turn into moths. Instead, they feast on the leaves, which obviously isn’t good for the tree’s health or appearance. Before too long, you’ll notice barren, weak branches. The best case scenario when you have a bagworm infestation is a bad-looking tree with dead leaves or pine needles, but they have been known to kill coniferous trees if there are too many in the tree at once.
How to remove them
You obviously don’t want these pests sticking around in your lawn for too long, especially since they can spread like wildfire and quickly take over the whole neighborhood. Follow these steps below to eradicate them from your property:
- Handpicking: If you catch the problem early enough, you can actually remove each bagworm with your hands. Since bagworms are tricky to see when the leaves are lush and green, you should perform this action in the fall or winter once the leaves have fallen.
- Chemicals: Insecticides with malathion, diazinon or carbaryl are a few of the chemicals that can kill bagworms. The only problem is that these must be applied when the bagworms are still in the larval stage if you want them to be effective. Spray each bag in the early spring for maximum effect.
- Call a pro: Your best bet if you want to get rid of bagworms as soon as possible is to hire a professional exterminator. A pro can locate all of the bagworms and apply the proper pesticide to kill them all and ensure they don’t come back next season.
Whether you have a bagworm problem that needs to be taken care of, or you have a question like “do fleas live in homes” in Bartlesville, OK, we’re the team you should call! At Excellence Pest Control, we have decades of experience handling all sorts of pest problems, from bagworms to rodents. Contact us today to get a free service estimate!