We have an infestation (pics of bugs)

18 years ago

We have a bush in the front of our house that recently turned brown very quickly. Puzzled, DH went to take a closer look at it only to find the bush was moving. Hundreds of catepillars gyrating to make cocoons. He told me not to look. I did, and it gave me the heebie geebies. My curiousity didn't prevent me from taking pictures. Remember, HUNDREDS.

Here's the bush.

A close up of the cocoons.

If you look at the three cocoons in the middle, you can see the heads of the black catepillars.

Any ideas what these are? In one way, we are really excited about the science experiment in our own front yard. And it gives us an excuse to get rid of the bush and turn the entire garden into a perennial bed. But, we do have an infestation of some kind, which can never be good.

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Comments (15)

Marigene
18 years ago
Is it bagworms?...looks like their little houses hanging down.

Here is a link that might be useful: All about bagworms
sheilajoyce_gw
18 years ago
I think those are what my dad fought--bag worms. It's one thing if the caterpillars are going to be butterflies, but I am afraid you have an undesirable infestation.
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Indy_Anna
Original Author
18 years ago
"bagworm" doesn't sound nearly as pleasant as "catepillar". And frankly, the word alone makes my scalp, back, hands, and legs itch.
stephmc72
18 years ago
As interesting as it is (and it really is), it's nasty! I'd have the heebie jeebies too! I hope you can easily rid yourself of them!
vicki_lv_nv
18 years ago
I have the heebie jeebies too! Clear up into my hair! But, yes...it IS interesting. Good luck!
patti43
18 years ago
Yes--bag worms. When I was 5 or 6 a neighbor had them and paid my sisters and I a penny for each 2 we removed from her bushes. They ain't so scary! Geez, guess that was my first job ;-) I don't think I've seen any since.
okwriter
18 years ago
The best way to get rid of bagworms (if you didn't have quite that many) is to hand pick them off and either squish them or put them in a can of diesel or gasoline. You can also buy insecticide sprays that contain BtK or pyrethrin.

You need to visually inspect cedars and pine trees this time of year and pick them as they get on there---anywhere from a few to a dozen a day. I'm afraid in this case, you need to burn the tree OR dig it up and put it in a container, then dispose of it far away somewhere. Otherwise, you'll have more of them in subsequent years and/or your neighbors will have what you have.
grammahony
18 years ago
They like walnut trees too. You can see them devouring the leaves on the tree, and can stip a few branches in 1 day. Bad worms.
Leslie
clubm
18 years ago
Wow!!! Gave me the willies!!!
glenda_al
18 years ago
Ewwwwwwww!
sheilajoyce_gw
18 years ago
I fear okwriter is right. They are the devil to get rid of as I recall and will kill your evergreens. Dad ended up digging up our evergreen shrubs and burning them.
jemdandy
18 years ago
You may be missing a bird species that prey on the catepillar stage of these pests. There has been a serious decline in the bird population of all species from the Mississippi River to the East Coast.

I am not privy to which bird that dines on bagworms, but do have first hand experience with two other bird and food relationships:

Starlings will clean goose berry bushes of a certian catepillar infestation.

Brown thrashers will decimate tent catepillars during their nesting season.

Your poor little bush appears as bad as an evergreen I saw last year that was invaded by gypsy moths.
stargazzer
18 years ago
You need to pull the bags off because there will be eggs inside, then spray every year. When I bought a new home I did not plant any ever greens because I don't like to work with chemicals.
lindasc
18 years ago
I would spray it with a chemical right now, I had a few webs covered things on a tree and I sprayed it and that was the end of them.
marilyn_c
18 years ago
Wasps eat them too. That's why I never kill wasps. So do Mockingbirds.

We have an infestation (pics of bugs)

Comments (15)

Marigene

sheilajoyce_gw

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We have an infestation (pics of bugs)

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