Garden

[HLP]

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@Mom2Dogs wrote:

I thought our large arborvitae was looking brown and thought it was probably dying......to day something made me look really close and there were these hanging nests all over the tree...then even closer I could see a worm like thing crawling out, ewww!  

A quick description on google and I discovered the tree has bagworms....I have never heard of this before.  

Has anyone had this infestation and if so, how did you get rid of them?

We have no arborists in our area as that was suggested ...the other suggestion was to  pull, by hand each one off the tree and destroy.  

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Ever so many years we get the worms, they crawl up a tree and ,yes you will have huge bags of worms. Best thing is to cut them off into a metal can and burn them, also wrap a sheet of aluminum foil, around the tree trunk, as they crawl up the tree. We have had them so bad that when a car went down the road you could hear them squish.They are horrible, and when they come back you will see every tree wrapped in my neighborhood. They will kill the limb they are on. Only saving grace is the birds like them.

[newagain888888]

This is information is informative and includes more natural treatments for bagworms. Please see the information about timing application of (spinosad) bagworm treatment to minimize any risk to honeybees. We have a large population of thriving honeybees on our hollies and hummingbird feeders, so there hasn’t been a problem to date. 

[newagain888888]

[tends2dogs]

I would have to cut down the tree if I couldn't find a natural way to get rid of them.  The thought of spraying poison just wouldn't get it for me.  This is why the world is  in such a mess from using RoundUp world wide.  We have a well, a pet, and wild animals in our yard, not to mention that my DH has had cancer and a bone marrow transplant.

Nope, not spraying or dumping poison.  No tree is worth it to me.  JMHO

[JYWilliams]

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@newagain888888 wrote:

https://www.atwoods.com/ferti-lome-borer-bagworm-leafminer-spray-10082fl.html

It is listed for $15.99. You might find it locally too.

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Thanks for posting this info.

[Mom2Dogs]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

We have never heard of this bug/worm.

We have lived in this house for 40 years, this is the first invfestation of anything we have hand in our landscape.

    I also noticed that they were clinging to a cement bench in the front yard!!

I am going to the city tomorrow and will stop at the nursery to see what I can get to work on this issue...again, thank you.

[JustJazzmom]

Best method is to remove the ‘nests’ by hand — wear gloves and discard into trash bag. They are the larvae of a moth which flies to the plant (arborvitae they live) The bags are where they live & where the female lays eggs inside. Removing the bags, prevents the female from allowing her eggs to overwinter inside those bags.

Here is a fact sheet on them that we send to homeowners:

http://ccenassau.org/resources/bagworm

[Mom2Dogs]

@JustJazzmom ...today my husband and I donned gloves and clippers and went thru the abrorvitae...we cut most out just a tad up from where they were hanging.  There we a lot of them...the bag is were the worm lives, right?  They were even attaching them selves to our siding as well as a cement bench in the landscape!!

We could see worms sticking their head out of the 'bag/nest'

I am going to read the fact sheet you attached, if I don't understand something I will post a question.

The inside of the arborvitae has a LOT of dead greanery...well brown now.  I hope it survives...we have two of the same flanking the house...we will have to remove both if one dies.  thanks

[JustJazzmom]

@Mom2Dogs 

From this website:https://www.hunker.com/13405841/my-arborvitae-tree-is-turning-brown-from-the-inside

Browning of arborvitae can indicate several different conditions. Browning of the inside branches often occurs to shed old limbs to make room for new ones, according to Ohio State University horticulturist Elton M. Smith. These can be removed without harm to the tree. Browning of the tips of branches can occur after a hard winter. These regenerate new growth without difficulty. Low branches near the soil line may turn brown and bark may split where hard freezes expand the moisture around trees. Aphids and spider mites can attack arborvitae trees, damaging foliage and cause large, brown areas. Fungal disease can also attack arborvitae shrubs, causing yellow or brown spots on branch tips that can spread to the inside of the branch causing it to die.

[Mom2Dogs]

@JustJazzmom ....I mentioned that we have been working on removing, by hand, the bagworms....but really, we will never get them all, I am sure.

There are still many at the very top of the tree...which I did get on a ladder to get as many as I could reach, the others are just to high up.....does that mean the infestation will just continue? I am not sure what to do...from what I understand it's to late in the season to spray....