What are bagworms?
Bagworms are members of the Lepidoptera family and they are also known as bagworm moths or bagmoths. They have a family which is quite small when compared to other species since it has only 1350 variants of bagworms to begin with. One of the many names that they receive is case months but this refers mostly to the habit that the caterpillars tend to have as they tend to create protective cases and hide under them for a prolonged period of time, all of that in order to increase protection.
The bagworms are also belonging to the Tineoidea family so they do tend to have a small resemblance to butterflies although that not that much to begin with. An important thing to note here is that the bagworms are inoffensive to humans and only tend to become a nuisance from time to time if they come inside the home and won’t get out at all. There are some species that can cause lots of damage inside the home and that’s why it’s a good idea to know as much as you can about them and their habits in order to deal with them properly and efficiently.
Where do bagworms live?
Each of the species has accustomed to specific weather and climate conditions so while some can be found in various areas, not all of them will be there. In fact, research shows that bagworms are spread globally with some of them settling in continents where they aren’t native. The interesting thing about bagworms is that they do not have a problem when it comes to adapting to the local weather and because of that they can easily become a nuisance for the people that live in the region.
There are some places in the world that are bagworm free, but they aren’t populated such as example Antarctica. The bagworm need a good climate in order to evolve and lay their eggs, something you need to keep in mind quite a lot. Usually bagworms are attracted by heat so places with a good amount of heat and less moisture than usually can be found in the neighboring region is where you will find them.
How do bagworms reproduce?
The bagworm reproduction is quite similar to the other types of insects in the animal world. The female and male worms will mate with one another in order to create the offspring. What is a little unusual here is the fact that both of them will die after the mating process is over. That’s why the bagworm population is always put in check, because their mating process is quite restrictive and it does make it easier for people to maintain a specific number of months.
In fact, the male moths will die outside the bag after the copulate, whereas the females will die inside the bag and actually get mummified by the massive amount of eggs that they create at once. The eggs are hatching in May-June and a single generation of bagworm eggs is created per year. Yes, they might be created in large numbers, but it does show that there’s a lot of worms to be had and that’s surely something to keep in mind because this way you can figure out how to get rid of them more efficiently which is what maters the most in this regard. Since bagworms do some massive damage to plants, it’s crucial to know how to get rid of them as fast as possible otherwise you will have to deal with an immense set of challenges.
Common bagworms in the United States
You can find multiple types of bagworms in the US but the most common one is the regular bagworm with a multitude of variants coming in depending on the region. The bad thing about bagworms is that they tend to focus on a specific region all the time and they tend to expand all the time which can be quite demanding at first. What you need to focus on here is the specifics of your region because based on the climate, humidity and other factors you might have to deal with a bagworm infection and you need to prepare yourself beforehand the best way you possibly can.
How to Get rid of bagworms?
The best way to do such a thing is to sweep and rake under the trees to get rid of the fallen egg sacks. This way you will see if there are any bagworms in the area and thus you will be able to ready yourself efficiently.
Create a mixture of dish soap and warm water as this will help the entire process. Add in some garden gloves and use the clippers to remove the bagworms. It’s a good idea to lift the branches and drop them into the bucket because this way you can figure out the best results with better efficiency and a higher quality outcome. Make sure that they are fully submerged in order for you to get the best possible experience.
You will then need to dump the bagworms in dumpster as that’s where you can get rid of them with complete results. If they are already hatched, use insecticide and try to eliminate them the best way you can. It will take a little while until you manage to kill all these bagworms efficiently but a powerful insecticide will allow you to protect yourself and your home in no time.