Bagworms vs. Fall Webworms

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Bagworms vs. Fall Webworms

With the long hot days of summer upon us, many residents in the Town of Flower Mound are beginning to notice bagworms and fall webworms afflicting trees through out town. Even though both insects have the word worm as part of their common name, they are actually caterpillars. Bagworms can be seen hanging from the twigs of a variety of trees and shrubs. They are recognized by the distinctive 1.5 to 2 inch long spindle-shaped cocoons that they make. The cocoons are made from a combination of silk that they spin, along with leaf, twig and bark material from the host tree that they are feeding on. Fall webworms are most readily found in pecan trees throughout the town. They also have been observed in elm, cottonwood, mulberry, and redbud trees. The female moth will lay a cluster of a few hundred eggs on the underside of the leaves of a host plant in the spring. After hatching, the larvae immediately begin spinning silken webs that start at the tip of branches and can eventually extend all the way down to the trunk of a tree. There are multiple methods of treatments, but the Town of Flower Mound advocates those that are the least harmful to the environment. Please visit www.flower-mound.com or consult with a certified arborist for a list of treatment options. For additional information, please contact the Environmental Services Division at 972.874.6352.

Posted 09/01/2010.