Bagworm caterpillars are commonly seen in the state of Iowa. The caterpillar commonly attacks arborvitae, red cedar, juniper and spruce trees in the Des Moines area. Once the they’ve found a home, they will immediately start eating buds and foliage, causing the tips of branches on the trees to die. Eventually if untreated, bagworms can kill the entire tree.

To identify the insect, look for 2″ bags made up of silk and needles from the host tree. The bags hang from branches and are relatively easy to identify.

To treat for bagworms, pull off all of the bags and dispose of them immediately. Do not drop the bags near the tree. The caterpillar can crawl out of the bag and continue the process of destroying the tree. Chemical treatments are available also.

Call 333-TREE to have an arborist identify, remove, and successfully treat the insect before it kills your tree. Bagworms are currently very common in Des Moines, and are killing many trees.