Gardening

spinbaby

(15,198 posts) Sun Jul 14, 2019, 12:06 PM Jul 2019

Bagworms

This morning I noticed that a dwarf spruce at the corner of the house is infested with bagworms—there are hundreds of those little brown pupae constructed of needles from the tree. I looked into treating the infestation, but it’s to late in the season for spraying to be effective and I don’t want to spray anyway because the tree is flanked by echinacea and Russian sage, which attract bees. So I’m going out at dusk, when the bees are hopefully home in bed, and hand picking the pupae off the tree. Wish me luck.

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Bagworms (Original Post) spinbaby Jul 2019 OP

Good luck, and a suggestion: TygrBright Jul 2019 #1

Good idea spinbaby Jul 2019 #2

Mixed results spinbaby Jul 2019 #3

TygrBright

(20,987 posts)

1. Good luck, and a suggestion:

Reply to spinbaby (Original post)

Sun Jul 14, 2019, 03:43 PM

Jul 2019

After you've picked off all the stuff you can see/reach, get your hose and a "jet" sprayer nozzle, and go over the tree from top to bottom.

helpfully,
Bright

spinbaby

(15,198 posts)

2. Good idea

Reply to TygrBright (Reply #1)

Sun Jul 14, 2019, 05:33 PM

Jul 2019

Thank you.

spinbaby

(15,198 posts)

3. Mixed results

Reply to spinbaby (Original post)

Sun Jul 14, 2019, 07:51 PM

Jul 2019

On the bright side, the bees are indeed inactive at dusk. On the other hand, I spent the better part of an hour picking little brown clumps out of the tree and will have to do it for the next few evenings to get most of them. In late fall when the flowers are cut, I’ll have to rake thoroughly under the tree and, in early spring, all my evergreens will get sprayed.

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