growing & crawling: EASTERN BAGWORM

Growing & Crawling

Eastern Bagworm: Nature’s Tree Ornament

Eastern bagworms are caterpillars that live inside spindle-shaped bags usually covered in small twigs and other organic matter. They are found all over the world, and especially in North America and Africa.

While they are not a threat to humans, bagworms can cause notable damage to their host plant. In fact, they can be particularly dangerous to orange trees in Florida, and Acacia shrubs in Africa. They also love many evergreen species which sometimes makes them a surprise guest in some people's homes during the holidays.

The life of a bagworm is focused on its main goal, reproduction. They are a solitary insect and the only form of communication they have is a pheromone released by the female when she is ready for her eggs to be fertilized.

Hatching from an egg, the bagworm larvae collects bits of organic matter and uses this with the silky residue they produce to create their sleeping bag-like case. Bagworms then attach themselves to this bag and carry it around with them as they look for foliage to feed on.

Once the bagworm has found a host plant, it attaches it's bag and spends it's days gorging on leaves until it is large enough to seal itself into its cocoon where it stays until it emerges as a fully formed adult. Adult males live about two days and the females live about two weeks which gives them time to lay between 5001000 eggs.

Janet Douberly is Program Coordinator at Downtown Greens. learn more about things growing & crawling in Fxbg, check out our Facebook & Instagram.

By janet douberly