Bagworms are small (1/8" to 2" long), diamond-shaped silk bags.  The worms make and live inside the bags.  The bags can be easily missed because the worms camouflage the bags with parts of the tree.  These bagworms are often found on arborvitae, Leyland cypress, and juniper.  The easiest way to control bagworms is to pick or clip them off of the tree limbs and drowned the bags in soapy water.  If using insecticides, they need to be used in June or early July when the bagworms are small or else the insecticides will not penetrate through the bag and reach the worm.  Insecticides that can be used to control bagworms include:  B.t. (Dipel), carbaryl (Sevin), and malathion.

            Fall webworms are sometimes mistakenly called bagworms.  Fall webworms are the webs that you can see at the ends of branches on many trees during this time of year.  Fall webworms are a mass of webbing at the end of tree branches.  The webs contain many tiny, hairy caterpillars.  Most often the fall webworm is found late summer into the fall on pecans, sourwood, and persimmon although they feed on over 600 species of trees and shrubs.  Fall webworms can be easily destroyed or disrupted by pulling down webs that are within reach with a stick or pole.  Pulling down the webs exposes caterpillars to birds and wasp.  Carbaryl (Sevin) can be used to spray webs within reach.  When using an insecticide for fall webworms, spray the foliage closest to the web mass.  Spraying the web itself does not give good contact with the caterpillars.  If the webs are not within reach, do not worry because although they are unsightly they usually do not harm the tree's overall health. 

            The Eastern tent caterpillar is often called webworms, but there are two major differences between the two insects.  The Eastern tent caterpillar forms webs in the crotches of a tree in late-spring into summer, while the fall webworms form webs at the end of tree branches in late-summer into the fall.  The Eastern tent caterpillars are black with a gold or white stripe down the back.  Eastern tent caterpillars are most often found on wild cherry, crabapple, and apple trees but many other kind of trees are occasionally infested.  Trees that are defoliated for several years by Eastern tent caterpillars may decline noticeably.  Because the Eastern tent caterpillars spend the winter inside the egg masses, one effective method of controlling the caterpillars is to remove and destroy the egg masses before the caterpillars hatch.  If the caterpillars have already hatched, the tents can be pulled down with a sick and the caterpillars crushed.  Carbaryl (Sevin) is labeled for controlling Eastern tent caterpillar.

            It is important to note for safety reasons that it is not recommended to use fire to destroy fall webworms or Eastern tent caterpillars as fire can set up an extremely dangerous situation.  Fire may get out of hand and destroy the tree, endanger the person, and nearby properties.

            Maybe this will reduce some of the confusion on what insect pests are called bagworms, webworms, and tent caterpillars.  All three are common on many trees in the landscape.  By knowing how to tell the difference between the three, one can determine the best control measure to take.

            For gardening and landscape questions and information contact the Wayne County Master Gardener Plant Clinic on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 am to 1pm.  The public is welcomed to bring plants or pest samples or call with your home gardening and landscape questions.  They can be reached by calling 919-731-1433 or stopping by Room 100 of the Extension Office. 

            Recommendations for the use of chemicals are included in this article as a convenience to the reader.  The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service nor discriminated against similar products or services not mentioned.  Individuals who use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the product label.  Be sure to obtain current information about usage and examine a current product label before applying any chemical.  For assistance, contact an agent from North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.

The next Lunch-Hour Gardening seminar will be September 12^th in the kitchen of the Extension Office from noon to 1 pm.  September’s topic will be “Planting Trees & Shrubs”.  Lunch-Hour Gardening seminars are on the second Wednesdays of each month and are free to the public.  Bring your lunch and enjoy learning more about gardening!  To register call the extension office at 919-731-1525.

Jessica Hyatt
North Carolina State University
Extension Agent - Horticulture
North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Wayne County Center
P. O. Box 68
208 W. Chestnut St., Goldsboro NC 27530
Phone: 919.731.1525 / Fax: 919.731.1511
Jessica_Hyatt@ncsu.edu