Bagworms are showing up. Though right now they are small and hard to see they are also
much easier to control. Bagworms overwinter as eggs inside the dead female’s bag. Larvae hatch and emerge from the bags mid to late-May in Kansas. The young larvae begin feeding on their host plants right away. It’s recommended to wait to spray for bagworms until mid-June to ensure most of the eggs have hatched.
Young bagworms look just like the adult version only much smaller. If you see empty
bags on your trees/shrubs, that is evidence of bagworms from the previous year and
there are likely young bagworms on the plant this year as well.
Insecticides commonly used for controlling bagworms include:
• Acephate (Orthene) Permethrin (38 Plus Turf, Termite & Ornamental Insect
Spray; Eight Vegetable, Fruit & Flower Concentrate; Garden and Farm Insect
Control)
• Bifenthrin (Bug Blaster II, Bug-B-Gon Max Lawn and Garden Insect Killer)
• Lambda-cyhalothrin (Spectracide Triazicide, Bonide Caterpillar Killer)
• Spinosad (Conserve; Natural Guard Spinosad; and Captain Jack’s Dead Bug
Brew). Spinosad is a very effective organic control for bagworms.
Thorough coverage of the plant material is essential for good control of bagworms
regardless of which product you choose.
