Cindy,

While taking out the trash tonight, I noticed some pod looking things hanging from the trash bin. I knew that the had been stuck there by something because they were barely hanging there but when knocked were firmly attached.

A closer inspection showed them to be made of the soft pine needles of a naerby shrub. I am assuming they are cacoons of some sort of insect. I then checked the tree and it is full of these things. They seem to be designed to blend into the tree like seed pods as they look to be needle clups themselves.

They are about 3 inches long and are hanging from the interior parts of the shrub (some sort of pine with very soft needles). Any idea as to what it is and how serious the damage may be to the tree. I wouldn't have even noticed them but for the dozen or so that migrated a full 5 feet away to the trash bins and appeared so suddenly.

Jon and Christa McCarrick

Bagworms are a common problem on evergreens as well as some deciduous trees--and trash cans in your case. To control Bagworms, you’ll need to take a couple of different approaches, based on the life cycle of the pest.

Bagworms are the larvae of moths. During the summer months, the bags will hold dark brown or black caterpillars. The caterpillar will drag the bag around in summer, feeding on the leaves of the plant that it has taken as its home. By August, it will have finished its feeding, and will retire to the bag to pupate. Female caterpillars will lay their eggs in the bag. The eggs will hatch in the following spring or early summer. These recently hatched larvae will begin feeding immediately and can destroy an entire tree if left unchecked.

You can use insecticides as long as you can see the larvae crawling around. You will see small crawlers in spring or early in the summer. You might also see the larger caterpillars in the summer. Make sure that the product you choose is labeled for the particular type of tree that you have. A common chemical insecticide for Bagworms is called Isotox. You might also want to try a “soft pesticide” product called Bacillus thuringiensis. This is a bacterium that will destroy the caterpillars, but is harmless to humans and other wildlife. Always read the label directions carefully before using any pesticide.

Good sanitation will also help. You can pick the bags off in the fall and winter. Destroy the bags to keep the eggs from hatching-this will reduce populations and subsequent problems.