How to get rid of bag worms in trees?

Question

The trees in my backyard are infected with bag worms. Can anyone tell me how to get rid of them?

Answer 1

While burining works it is not the best method over all because the worms will return again and again. It can also be dangerous if you choose not to cut the branches to be burned because you can set the whole tree on fire. If you use that method please be sure to have the garden hose handy.

I would also use another method to make sure you will not have eggs laid and then have the same problem next season.

Use BT. You spray this on your plants and when the critters eat it their insides will disolve from ingestion of the BT. They eat it when consuming leaves in their larval stage, therefore, they never make it to the adult moth stage when they would lay eggs and start the process again.

You can use other insecticides. The following are labeled for such use: acephate (Orthene), bendiocarb (Ficam, Turcam), bifenthrin (Talstar), carbaryl (Sevin), chlorpyrifos (Dursban), cyfluthrin (Tempo), diazinon, dimethoate (Cygon), fluvalinate (Mavrik), malathion, nicotine sulfate, pyrethrum, permethrin (Pounce), rotenone and trichlorfon (Dylox, Proxol). Please note that several of these are restricted use pesticides and you may or may not be able to use them where you live.

You may also hand pick the creatures and either squish or dispose of them in a can of water. Not a fun job by any means but it does work.

Answer 2

Rip the bags off with a hook on a pole ... as soon as you open the bags the birds will eat the caterpillars.

Or blast them with a strong hose stream to open them.

Answer 3

Best way Ive found is correct BURN them out. I dont cut off branches though, Just hold up a torch and the heat will kill the worms. The bag may flame but usually the dead leaves which are not much after the worms have made bags. If they are in the tops and cant reach them, pesticide is the only safe and ecconomical way I can think of.

Next year try some pepper (any kind thats cheap) around the bottom of your trees. It may keep the little buggers from climbing up, (maybe not but its worth a try).

If you cut the branch I dont because next year is a new year and even if the worms live out the winter (and I dont think they do on the limb that is) they will have to come back and maybe wont. Ive found that more often than not they are on a differant place next time. I could be wrong but cutting off a limb is final and not a guarntee you still wont have them next year anyway.

Answer 4

do you have bagworms or TENT worms?.... big diff.... if it's bagworms, you just pick off the bags as you find them and dispose of them.....

if it's TENT caterpillars (which is what everyone is suggesting you BURN out), the other suggestion, to cut off the branch and dispose of it AND the tent and the caterpillars all together is the better way..... trick is to cut the branch at twilight, when all the caterpillars are returned to the nest.... if you do it during the daytime, they're all out , all over the tree, having dinner....and they'll just build another one, higher up where you can' t get it......

be sure of what you have before you do ANYTHING>..

tent caterpillars or webworm....

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfact...

webworms...

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=c...

(webworms tend to be in spring.... tents, later in summer)

bagworms...

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/21...

http://woodypests.cas.psu.edu/factsheets...

Answer 5

Fire.Cut out the affected branch and burn it1

Answer 6

This is a really difficult pest that you might want to hand over to the experts instead of trying yourself.  If you do it wrong you could burn down your tree or pass the bugs off to a nearby tree.