BAGWORMS:
These critters were very active last year! Normally, they kick off the festivities around Memorial Day, but last year, they started in almost two weeks early. This is a reminder to spray plants they damaged last year (starting now!) to prevent a repeat performance, and to keep an eye on your junipers, cedars, and bald cypress for the next month or two.
Bagworms are hard to see early in their development. They camouflage themselves, using cut pieces of leaf from the plant they are feeding on, and they’re good at it. If your vulnerable plants just seem thinner than they should be, not as full as you remember, look closely for the young caterpillars chewing on the foliage. The damage done by these pests basically doubles every week as they grow, going from a minor nuisance to a plant-stripping problem. They’re easier to see when the foliage they disguise themselves with begins to brown, but that takes quite a while. By the time that happens, they’re doing heavy damage.
They’re so good at hiding that it’s simply a good idea to spray vulnerable plants if they had an issue last year. We recommend spraying spinosad, an organic insecticide, to stop them in their tracks and keep your plants looking their best.