Bagworm Moth Identification and Treatment in Omaha
Bagworm caterpillars build and live inside distinctive silk-and-twig bags, feeding on needles until a heavy infestation can weaken or kill the tree.
Free Estimate within 24 Hours
What bagworms look like
Caterpillars, pupae, and adult male bagworms live inside bags constructed of silk, twigs, and larvae which hang from trees. Full-grown larvae are 18 to 25 mm long and dark brown, and the bags of mature larvae are 30 to 50 mm long.
Female bagworms are yellowish-white, wingless, maggot-like moths that do not have functional legs, eyes, or antennae. Male moths are sooty, black, and hairy, with a wingspan of about 25 mm.
Bagworm life cycle
Eggs overwinter inside the bags and hatch within them. Larvae initially feed on the surfaces of needles and later consume entire branches as they grow. Larvae pupate in the bags in late summer, and in the fall, male moths emerge, fly to bags containing females, and mate with them, completing the cycle.
Damage bagworms cause
Infested trees and shrubs are unsightly, weakened, and may eventually be killed if the infestation is left untreated, particularly on evergreens that cannot easily regrow lost foliage.
