Bagworm Control: How To Get Rid of Bagworms

This page is a general bagworm control guide. Using the suggested products and methods will get rid of bagworms. Follow this guide and use the recommended products, and we guarantee successful control of bagworms on your property.

Have you noticed an unexplainable discoloration or browning of your trees and shrubs? The cause may be the action of bagworms. Bagworms are destructive insects that attack many species of trees and shrubs but are often found on conifers like juniper, pine, arborvitae, cypress, cedar, and spruce.

They get the name “bagworms” due to the insect wrapping themselves up in cocoon-like “bags” made from twigs, leaves, and self-spun silk. Once nestled in this self-made bag, a female Bagworm can lay between 500 to 1,000 eggs—meaning your bagworm problem will multiply into a major infestation if left unchecked. Each egg will hatch into another bagworm, ready to rip into nearby foliage.

Once you know you have a bagworm infestation on your property, it’s best to act quickly to eliminate it. However, the tricky part is that bagworms are usually not noticed right away because the bags they reside in usually fool homeowners, who confuse them with pine cones.

If you have bagworms in your yard, it is important to act quickly to remove the infestation. Otherwise, it will continue to grow and cause damage. Follow our DIY bagworm control guide, which explains how to get rid of bagworms in four simple steps.

Identification

Before you can carry out a treatment, you need to identify that you are facing a bagworm infestation. Knowing how hagworms look is an important part of identifying them correctly. Here are some key traits to watch out for. 

• The best way to tell if you have a bagworm infestation is by identifying the spindle-like bags they create. The bags are made of silk and parts of foliage. They are brown and may have spines throughout. They usually measure about 2 inches in length. Each bag holds approximately 500 to 1,000 eggs.
• Female bagworms remain in the bags for the entirety of their lives.
• Males adults are about 18 to 25 mm in length.
• Male adults are black and look like small moths with transparent wings.
• Male bagworms will emerge from the bag in late August after mating with the female inside.

Use the image and description above to help you determine if you are seeing bagworms. If you need help, contact us, and one of our pros will help you with proper identification.

Inspection

Once you have confirmed the identification of bagworms on your property, you need to inspect your deciduous trees (trees with leaves that change color and shed in the fall and grow new leaves come springtime) and evergreens (trees with leaves that stay green all year long). During the inspection, you will focus your search on your vegetation for bagworm activity.

Where To Inspect

Bagworm infestations are exclusive to the outdoors and vegetation, so search your plants, especially conifers like juniper, pine, arborvitae, cypress, cedar, and spruce. They might also infest smaller shrubs and bushes, so look at this vegetation as well.

What To Look For

You’re looking for the bagworm cocoons or bags. They resemble pine cones but are about 2 inches in size and might have overhanging spines throughout. If you have located these bags on your trees or shrubs, mark them as an area where you will focus your chemical treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed bagworm activity, it is time to begin treatment. Remember to read all product labels, follow the application instructions on them, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

The best way to get rid of bagworms is to treat infestations with Supreme IT Insecticide. This product is labeled to kill bagworms and delivers exceptional control with a long residual, so you don't have to re-apply as often.

Step 1: Outdoor Treatment with Supreme IT

Supreme IT is a broad-spectrum insecticide that is labeled for treating bagworms. It also has a long residual effect that kills for up to 90 days after application.

To apply Supreme IT, mix it with water in a hand pump or hose-end sprayer.

Apply Supreme IT at a rate of 0.18 to 0.25 fl. oz. per gallon to cover 1,000 sq. ft.

Measure the square footage of your lawn to determine how much Supreme IT you need.

Add the appropriate amount of water to your sprayer. Shake well and pump your sprayer, and you're ready to apply.

Time your treatment when bagworms hatch from their cocoons, usually in late May to mid-June.

Spray the Supreme IT solution onto your tree, directing the application to contact as many bagworm larvae as possible. Use a fan spray setting to get excellent uniform coverage. 

For bagworms too high to reach with a handheld pump sprayer, you may need to use a ladder to get closer to the pest and aim the sprayer via the instream nozzle setting.

Prevention

After treatment, you must ensure that bagworms do not re-establish themselves on your trees. Examine your tree periodically for bagworms and manually remove any bags you find. This is by far the best method of prevention since any insecticide will not penetrate the cocoons.

• Handpick the bags off your trees and drown them in a bucket of soapy water. You could also put them in a bag and dispose of them far away from your property.
• Finally, remember to spray Supreme IT in late May and early to mid-June, when bagworms will be hatching from their bags.

Key Takeaways

What Are Bagworms?

• Bagworms are larvae or caterpillars that enjoy feeding on trees and can be damaging when established in a yard.
• Bagworms are a rising pest in orchards and landscapes. They are native to North America and are common throughout the United States. Bagworms will feed on many kinds of trees and shrubs but prefer spruce and juniper.

How To Get Rid of Bagworms in the Yard

• Applying Supreme IT Insecticide when larvae have started to hatch and are young can successfully control any infestation of bagworms. This is usually around late May or early to mid-June.
• Mix Supreme IT in a handpump sprayer and apply it to your infested tree to knock down bagworms.

Preventing Bagworm Reinfestation

• Prevent bagworm reinfestation by handpicking off any bagworm cocoons you see and applying preventative applications of Supreme IT to your tree.