Plaster bagworm life cycle Bagworms have a two-part life cycle. Very small particles of sand, soil, iron rust, insect droppings, arthropod remains, hairs, and other fibers are added on the outside. The case is constructed by the earliest larval stage (1st instar) before it hatches, and is enlarged by each successive instar. Biology: This moth is closely related to the Household Casebearer, which is discussed separately and which is a distinct species. Control of four household insects. 1933. Wing venation is very important for genera identification, and was described by Hinton and Bradley in 1956. Turns out, there are a ton of DIY home remedies you can do for free (or damn close to free) without having to spend money on expensive and dangerous chemicals. Case of household casebearer, Phereoeca uterella Walsingham. This is one of the easiest ways to kill bagworms without using any dangerous chemicals. Manual picking or vacuuming of cases and spider web removal should be enough to keep this species under control. The adult bagworms will fly into the zapper and get fried. Bulletin No. Theyre not THAT hard to get rid of. Learn more. In Florida, this braconid and an ichneumonid wasp,Lymeon orbum(Say), were reared from the household casebearer (Hetrick 1957). Photograph by Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida. It is commonly known as the plaster bagworm but as the term "bagworm" m. Plaster bagworms have a diet of wool, spiderwebs, and even the discarded cases of other bagworms. Remember, these bugs thrive in warm and humid environments. What is the life cycle of a plaster Bagworm? Why you have them, how they spread, and when theyre most active. Due to the active international exchange of goods, other case-bearing moths may occur in Florida in the future. If spiders have nothing to eat, then they wont spin a web. In terms of shape and appearance, it looks pretty similar to a watermelon or pumpkin seed. Whatever you call them, these insects have several distinct traits. Another microbe you can easily wipe out bagworms is spinosad. Figure 1. 1957. Watson (1939) corroborated the preference of Pjerepeca uterella for woolen goods of all kinds. Generally, they will stay close to wherever food is near. Invest in a portable AC, ductless AC, or window unit to keep every inch of your house climate controlled. What is the best chemical to kill bagworms? Larva: In late spring, larvae hatch and disperse on silken threads. It also attacks certain deciduous trees such as black locust, honeylocust, and sycamore. Finally, stick to a routine vacuuming schedule. Quick Tip: If you have a lot of wool clothing, dont be surprised if you find them destroying it. So they have both a crawling and flying phase. Creighton JT. Next, use the sharp end and puncture the bagworm case while its stationary on the ceiling. Well, according to Clemson Cooperative Extension, these wasps live for only two weeks (remember, not where they can cause contamination, sting, or bite, but inside of bagworm eggs), and die shortly after. So, what about the actual bug? Hetrick LA. Read some reviews. While they might be small, a large population can wreak havoc on all of your prized garments. The lifecycle of a bagworm is nothing special. Aiello A. Have the soapy water spray everywhere . Plus, its a lot safer compared to chemical compounds which often leave behind nasty and dangerous residues. The cocoon is made up of silk fiber and other organic materials. The most identifying characteristic is the bag for which it gets its namesake! The silk they use can be wrapped around the twigs which can kill the tree in the future, especially if its not established. XVI: Two new genera of clothes moths (Tineidae). They can show up in huge numbers rapidly if you dont start a pest management program. Now that you know how to get rid of plaster bagworms, its time to put in the time to reclaim your home. Apply a layer of adhesive sticky tape around the baseboards of any area that has bags. Any place where spiderwebs accumulate will become a feasting ground for plaster bagworms. When disturbed, it encloses itself in the case by pulling the bottom side up. A fully developed larva has a case 8 to 14 mm long and 3 to 5 mm wide. The entire cycle from egg to adult averages 74.2 days (62 to 86 days). This makes it difficult to do for a typical homeowner and should only be used if you know what youre doing. The larva cuts a short slit along both edges to make that end flatter, which acts as a valve. You might also find them hanging off of exterior stucco, near outdoor lights, or underneath chairs and benches. These little buggers are truly an interesting pest with their distinct life phase and a big old case they lug around behind them. Theres no need to use it during the daytime because moths are nocturnal (active at night). You only want to pass the sponge edges over the eggs and push them off- dont CRUSH them. When used properly, you can kill bagworms in just 48 hours after spraying. CRC Press. Plaster bagworms arent picky about their food source and will eat any organic matter left behind. A lot of leading companies have green or natural approaches, so find one that has alternative pest control treatments and ask about them. You can also spray dish soap, vinegar, or essential oils for a residual effect. I still dont so Up to 200 eggs can be deposited over a single week. This isnt the most efficient home remedy to get rid of plaster bagworms, but you can clean up an infestation quickly without using any chemicals. However, bagworms are moths in the family Psychidae. Microlepidoptera of Cuba. You can quickly remove a ton of bags hanging on your ceiling by using a garden hose with a spray nozzle. Males are smaller (wing span: 7 to 9 mm) and thinner than the female, with a less distinctive wing pattern. Then place it on the floor and grab a ladder. In most cases, plaster bagworms start their life outdoors. Webs of insects such as booklice (Psocoptera) and webspinners (Embioptera) from tree trunks were also suitable food. University of Florida, Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 536. 156, new series. Visit the EDIS website at, . You may find them attached to branches, twigs, plants, and other debris outside with a small piece of silk. Theres a visible tuft of hair on the head and wing edges. Do what works best for you. Some observations on the plaster bagworm, Tineola walsinghami Busck (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). Hinton HE, Bradley JD. Bagworm is a caterpillar that molts into a moth in the adult stage. Bagworms lay eggs that hatch as moths between the last days of May through the early weeks of June. Photograph by Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida. After all, they can leave behind a streak of pigment that can be a pain to clean up (and damage sensitive surfaces). Here is a glimpse into the various Bagworm life stages - The eggs of Bagworm moths hatch in end of May and beginning of June. Some people and pets may be sensitive to essential oils, talcum powder, diatomaceous earth, boric acid, etc. 1933. In 1956, Hinton and Bradley described the new genus Phereoeca, in order to separate the true Tineola from this and other species of flat case-bearing moths. The ceiling and believe me , I look! The plaster bagworm has 4 life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The larva has three pair of well-developed, brown legs. As mentioned earlier, these bugs dont eat cotton or nylon. Theyre not as bad as dust mites and cockroaches, but allergy-sufferers can still feel the effects of their presence. Youll also want to make sure that you use a desktop lamp thats rated for hours of continuous usage. Theyll fall into the dish soap mixture and drown because of the soap. Hinton HE, Bradley JD. Pupa: Pupation occurs inside the case. Bagworm Life Cycle. Thats because when they pupate, youll see BOTH ends of the case cemented to a vertical surface. Go ahead and mix a bucket full of water and a few drops of dish soap. Are plaster bagworms harmful to humans? Any bags that are still alive can be killed by dunking them into a bucket of soapy water. Entomol. These bugs often go unnoticed until populations reach massive levels. They fly fairly well, but usually rest on walls, floor edges, or on webs of house spiders (theridiids) (Aiello 1979). A fully developed larva has a case 8 to 14 mm long and 3 to 5 mm wide. Use as directed. On the top and bottom of the oval-shaped case, theres a slit-like opening. This is important to distinguish for ridding plaster bagworms because you can tell which part of the casebearer life cycle the bug is currently in. Theyre especially prevalent in the state of Florida. Your email address will not be published. Some heavy infestations will require commercial pesticides to handle. See if its working or not. Specific information of Phereoeca uterella biology is limited. The eggs are small and look like pale-bluish seeds that are stuck on surfaces, usually in a dark area or hidden from view. The case that it carries around wherever it feeds is what is immediately recognized. The inside of the arch is lined exclusively by silk, and is gradually extended to form a tunnel, while the larva stays inside. If you want to learn how to get rid of plaster bagworms, youve come to the right place. Thats why understanding their main sources of food is so important if you want to get rid of them! Each molt results in a larger case. This tends to be areas like your garage, attic, stucco, vinyl, sidings, and basement, but they can also be found in the bedroom, kitchen, and any other room of your home or apartment. Spiders are considered to be a beneficial insect because they help catch and kill various pests like flies, beetles, flying pests, earwigs, roly-polys, etc.. Just a small perforation is enough for the dish soap to kill the bagworm. The tunnel is closed beneath by the larva to form a tube free from the substrate, and open at both ends. Egg: In late summer and fall, the female lays up to 1,000 eggs in her case. After mating, females lay their eggs on crevices and the junction of walls and floors, cementing them on debris. However, bagworms are moths in the family Psychidae. Namely, vespid wasps, woodpeckers, sapsuckers, and other predatory flying insects will eat them up without hesitation. Plaster bagworms eat abandoned spider webs, fabric, wool, and even the larval cases of other bagworms. If youre doing this outdoors, youll have to reapply often because of the elements. Use a longer pole so you can avoid getting on a ladder. They mate during the peak season and the larvae will overwinter in their bags so they survive the winter. Bagworms life cycle are differentiated into separate stages, much like any other organism. After the first case is completed, the larva starts moving around, pulling its case behind. Were happy to help. Bagworm cocoons are the nests where the caterpillars live. For spiderwebs, clean your house regularly. Quick Tip: Dont forget to empty the bag or canister to ensure that the pests are out of your house for good! Or just seal up those cracks with caulk to prevent further pests from sheltering there. Either way, the final result is a light gray protective case that hangs discreetly on the walls of your home. It probably wont move anywhere, but may nudge or flinch. Check the. But follow the manufacturers directions. Heres a resource you can check out to find out what foods to feed. It has a dark brown head, and the rest of the body is white, except for the lateral and dorsal plates on the three thoracic segments close to the head, which are hardened and dark. You can protect your garden from bagworms by using moth-repellent plants like lavender, marigold, and mugworts (see the list above). Quick Tip: Youre most likely to encounter plaster bagworms if you live in the Southeastern United States. However, the specimens that he collected from the Virgin Islands were misidentified. So if you can keep moths away from your property, youll have fewer bagworms to deal with. Finally, an early synonym established by Meyrick was recognized as the most appropriate name, and the species was named Phereoeca dubitatrix (Meyrick 1932). Theyll eat old webs because of the silk fiber necessary to produce their case. Btk has known adverse effects to humans, so make you use the proper PPE when handling and applying it. Webs can be found on the roof, walls, corners, baseboards, cracks, foundation, and more. Before eclosion the pupa pulls itself halfway through the valve. They dont bite or cause any physical pain if you touch them. And if you found this page helpful, consider telling a friend or just letting me know. Theyre known to not attract any moths and provide a source of backyard lighting. The household casebearer,Phereoeca uterella, is a moth in the Tineidae family of Lepidoptera. Each constructs a small bag around its hind parts with silk and plant material. The new moth emerges around noon, leaving the pupal case exposed on the outer case. Do some research. A bug zapper can also be effective for controlling nighttime moths. pp. well, eep up the nice work fellows. Dish soap does indeed kill plaster bagworms and can be used as a home remedy for a pesticide. For plaster bagworms, this is usually on ceilings, walls, and other humid areas with plenty of debris for the larvae to consume. It was found in Gainesville, Florida, and has been recorded as present in the southern USA, Hawaii, Mexico, Bermuda, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Europe, Africa, Malaya, Australia and other localities. You can reduce the humidity in rooms where you see them dangling from the roof by doing the following: Set up box fans or air circulators to keep moisture moving (point them at windows and doors facing OUT of the room that has high humidity). The household casebearer, Phereoeca uterella, requires high humidity to complete its development, a limiting factor for its dispersion throughout the rest of the country. Its when they mature into adult moths that they move inside and start a new generation. The caterpillar larvae rarely can be seen by people. The heads of both sexes are uniformly clothed with dense, rough hairs. Pupation occurs inside the case. They remain in the pupal stage an average of 15.6 days (range of 11 to 23 days). 2000. The females will deposit up to 200 eggs by attaching them to surfaces where the larvae are likely to have a food source. These become the host plants for the larvae for further development in the moth life cycle. Curiously enough, plaster bagworms are the larval stage of a moth! The key is to push down firmly on the sponge and go downward in a single motion. When disturbed, it encloses itself in the case by pulling the bottom side up. 232 pp. Position the desktop lamp above the container and direct the light right into the liquid. Female adults will keep their bags, which has her pupal case and this is where the eggs are deposited. I just moved here four months ago. Spiders are considered to be a beneficial insect because they help catch and kill various pests like, Spraying essential oils around cracks and crevices (peppermint, basil, neem, lavender, onion, garlic, citrus, etc.) This is when the bag usually sits on a vertical ledge youll commonly see it stuck to your walls. Do they bite? How do you get rid of moth eggs on the wall? Plaster bagworms can destroy pricey wool and natural-fiber items. Plaster bagworms like to accumulate in garages and attics where most homeowners dont have proper cooling equipment. Any standard handheld vacuum cleaner will make quick work of bagworms without making a mess. After a while, the species in the peninsula was recognized as Tineola walsinghami. Clean up water spillages from using the sink, shower, etc. Try a few of them out and see what works best for you. Aiello (1979) indicates that the number of instars may vary among individuals of both sexes. Observations on species of Lepidoptera infesting stored products. Inside your house, protective cocoons can appear anywhere. In South America, Phereoeca uterella Walsingham is known to be present in Brazil (state of Para) and Guyana. Since webs are largely transparent and invisible, you can use a flashlight and shine it around darker corners of the room to make sure you dont miss any. Add the water and dish soap to the container. Youre getting rid of plaster bagworms by getting rid of OTHER pests first. Each bagworm generation lives just long enough as adults to mate and reproduce in their annual cycle. Manual removal takes time, but this is one way to clear out a room full of bags. Read some reviews. Figure 4. First, manually remove all the bagworm larvae you can see in your home. Watson JR. 1939. They remain in the pupal stage an average of 15.6 days (range of 11 to 23 days). The larva builds the case before it hatches and each instar forces a larger case. The entire cycle from egg to adult averages 74.2 days (62 to 86 days). 1954. After mating the female lays 500 to 1000 eggs within her bag and then she dies. Start by using the techniques listed here that you can do right away. You also may come across additional areas of activity. The maxillary palps are smaller than the labial palps, and are folded inwards. The larvae create their silk case after hatching and will forage for food, such as organic detritus and debris found within your house. If you need to resort to chemical pesticides to kill plaster bagworms, heres what youll want to look for. Most of the biology described here was taken from Aiello's (1979) description of Phereoeca allutella, a closely related case-bearing moth species from Panama. That said, these bugs can cause a lot of damage around your house. The larva is a caterpillar that carries the case/bag along with it as it forages. They dont actually eat plaster and only get their name because theyre commonly found in plaster, walls, and hanging from the ceiling. Many species in this family are casebearers and a few are indoor pests of hair fibers, woolens, silks, felt, and similar materials. These can also be used as materials for their cases, matching whatever is present in their environment. They dont do anything but attract flying pests, burn electricity, and attract spiders which spin webs nearby (which may be why you have a bunch of spider webs on your patio, outdoor furnishings, etc.). Leave the lamp on overnight. You can make your DIY bagworm killer at home using the following recipe: Mix them gently, but avoid excessive foaming of the dish soap. In South America, Phereoeca uterella Walsingham is known to be present in Brazil (state of Para) and Guyana. Once the eggs hatch, the larva spins a silk strand that hangs down it. However, bagworms are moths in the family Psychidae. From the bottom of furniture to the walls in your closet, bagworms have a knack for showing up in all kinds of oddball locations. Dont worry. Theyre likely a different species altogether, but heres a tip. Regardless, the techniques to get rid of them remain largely the same and are effective for both. Due to the active international exchange of goods, other case-bearing moths may occur in Florida in the future. The eggs then remain stuck inside the bag, which is then usually found on your ceiling, walls, and yard. So then I created this site to share everything Ive learned over the years (and continuing to learn)- natural solutions that are proven to work against the bug thats bugging you! Life Cycle (Back to Top) Eggs require more than 10 days to hatch. Revised July 2005, April 2010, April 2014, and April 2017. Plaster bagworms are not harmful to humans. A braconid wasp,Apanteles carpatus(Say), parasitizes larvae of case-bearing moths, killing the larva before pupation. Even though mating, hatching, and lifecycle times vary depending on the environment, all the bagworm species in YOUR environment should have nearly the same event times during their lifecycle. Plaster bagworms have a few natural enemies that eat them. Microlepidoptera of Cuba. Also, there are many different types of sticky tapes and sticky traps you can use. Life history and behavior of the case-bearer. Keep in mind that severe bagworm infestations on your trees may require the help of a professional, especially for taller trees that you cant reach the upper branches or twigs.