Deep Breath; Start Again
Any idea who these will be grow up to be? We were out walking Cody and my husband spotted them along the fence line. There were dozens of them. It looks as though they're made of little bits of leaves and grass. #Entomology #Lepidopterology #insects #butterflies #moth
May 24 at 10:52pmWeb
Show threadCarolannieMay 24
@caban4 I think they are bag worms?
Show threadDeep Breath; Start AgainMay 25
@carolannie
Thank you, Carolannie! Wow, I think you're right. That sure matches the pictures I see online. Sounds like they can be quite a pest as well. Have you had any experience dealing with them?
Show threadLynnMay 25
@caban4 @carolannie we had a couple of arborvitae get invested with them, and extended fairly high up. I found a Spinosad spray you could attach to a hose and it was effective to get rid of them after a few applications. I couldn't have picked them all off. Spinosad is approved as organic, and it's a natural product, but you do need to avoid it on flowers where bees visit to avoid harm.
Show threadCarolannieMay 25
@lynneverson @caban4 yes, organic pesticides are often not selective, even if relatively safe
Show threadDonald HobernMay 24

@caban4

As @carolannie says, these are the cases of bagworms (Psychidae, a family of moths). The cases contain the caterpillar or later the pupa.