Latin Name: Phereoeca praecox Common Name: Plaster Bagworm Other Names: Wall bagworm Pest Details Origin: This moth may be native to Latin America and is more common in southern California than anywhere else in the U.S. 1957. Thats it. The case has tapered ends that are narrow with a bulging center. Revised July 2005, April 2010, April 2014, and April 2017. If youre trying to get rid of plaster bagworms, consider cranking up the AC a bit more than normal. Be careful about leaving the lamp on overnight. If youre finding bagworms in your trees, bushes, or plants outside, they may not be plaster bagworms. Hinton HE, Bradley JD. When youre out of ideas, consult a professional (licensed) pest control company. Climb up there safely, and start picking them off your ceiling. Bagworms - Life Cycle, Habitat, Pictures, Treatment and Control They remain in the pupal stage an average of 15.6 days (range of 11 to 23 days). 1989. What is the life cycle of a plaster Bagworm? Most people will see bagworm activity during the warmer months such as August and September. Hi there! 1954. Use as directed. Plaster bagworms eat abandoned spider webs, fabric, wool, and even the larval cases of other bagworms. This kills the plaster bagworm instantly. See 3-4 a day. The fully developed larva is about 7 mm long, 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. Females are bigger and wider while males are smaller and thinner. Walking into a cool home is like stepping into a completely different environment! Visit the EDIS website athttps://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Both of them are closely related species, but the casebearer and plaster bagworm are distinct species. Adult male household casebearer, Phereoeca uterella Walsingham. To address the wool problem, keep all of your items in sealed plastic bags. Life Cycle Bagworm, like all moths, undergoes complete metamorphosis with four stages. The adults mate and deposit their eggs which over time will result in these bagworms on your walls and ceilings. Bagworm Life Cycle | Bagworms Control | Get Rid of Bagworms - Safer Brand Some people and pets may be sensitive to essential oils, talcum powder, diatomaceous earth, boric acid, etc. Then, they all hatch around the same time and this is why they all appear out of nowhere- at the same time! Do some research. Youll also want to make sure that you use a desktop lamp thats rated for hours of continuous usage. However, regular cleaning practices, increased use of air conditioning in houses, and reduced number of woolen goods in this part of the country, along with pesticide application in cracks and crevices for household pest control, have decreased the incidence of the household casebearer. 1956. See if its working or not. Plaster bagworms mainly survive on wool and spiderwebs. All have wingless (or nearly wingless) adult females that do not leave their bags, and the males are usually drab blackish shades. Upon hatching, the entire lifecycle of the plaster bagworm can be completed in about 2-3 months. Bagworm Life Cycle. Reviewed June 2020. Aiello (1979) indicates that the number of instars may vary among individuals of both sexes. Psyche 86: 125136. The lifecycle of a bagworm is nothing special. Were happy to help. Creighton JT. When many homeowners see these insects, theyll instinctively sweep them off the wall and call it a day. The resilient fibers of a spider web make them extremely durable to the elements (theyre resistant to rain, wind, and sunlight) and this provides a longstanding food for bagworms. 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 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 hindwings are just a solid gray or dark brown color with no patterning. Each molt results in a larger case. Plaster bagworms are found in coaster states where temperatures are high and humidity is prevalent. It can also be harmful to humans, so use proper PPE and follow manufacturer directions. These little buggers are truly an interesting pest with their distinct life phase and a big old case they lug around behind them. Old cases of its own species were chewed as well. Buy them potted or grow from seed (though that takes a long time and spending the extra money is more efficient). Photograph by Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida. Your email address will not be published. Observations on species of Lepidoptera infesting stored products. It is silk-lined inside and open at both ends. Plaster Bagworm 101: How To Get Rid Of Them Quickly, How To Get Rid Of Plaster Bagworms In Your House, 21 Plants That Repel Wasps (Highly Effective), How To Get Rid Of Skinks: Everything You Need To Know, How To Keep Fruit Flies Away From Bananas (Simple Tips). But when woolen threads and woolen cloth were offered to the larvae "they ate eagerly". Hinton HE. Do you see tiny, ovular cases that look like pumpkin seeds hanging from your roof? Manual picking or vacuuming of cases and spider web removal should be enough to keep this species under control. This continues their lifecycle and propagation, which continues to spread bagworms throughout your property. And if all else fails, consult a professional exterminator. University of Florida, Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 619. They are easiest to identify by the bags they construct as they feed. Females mate with males during the warmer months. He also assumed that this species might be present in the coastal areas of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. But when you only see ONE end, such as when it hangs from your ceiling, its not pupating yet and the caterpillar still can come out and move around. Entomol. Theyre not THAT hard to get rid of. There are two main reasons why you have plaster bagworms in your home or garden: These pests are NOT picky and will show up suddenly out of nowhere. Theyre commonly found under webs, bedrooms, bathrooms, garages, rugs, carpets, curtains, joists, sills, foundations, subflooring, building exteriors, farm sheds, lawn furniture, farm machinery, tree trunks, and even under your home. The larva builds the case before it hatches and each instar forces a larger case. When disturbed, it encloses itself in the case by pulling the bottom side up. However, you might see it peak its head out of one of those slits to eat. Many species in this family are casebearers and a few are indoor pests of hair fibers, woolens, silks, felt and similar materials. For spiderwebs, clean your house regularly. Theres no limit to where the cases are found. CRC Press. You also may come across additional areas of activity. The bags gradually enlarge as they feed during the summer to house the growing caterpillar. Blast them off and clean them up. The labial palps extend a little beyond the head vestiture (dense covering of hairs). 2000. The ceiling and believe me , I look! Hetrick (1957) found that the most common and abundant food of the household casebearer in Florida is old spider webs, consumed in large quantities. Head of adult household casebearer, Phereoeca uterella Walsingham. You can quickly remove a ton of bags hanging on your ceiling by using a garden hose with a spray nozzle. There are visible black or gray markings on the forewings. Be sure to use the right food for the right bird species. There are some that believe that the real legs help it walk on floors, while the false legs that have hooks on the ends allow it to walk inside its protective case. And dont forget about the light that comes from inside your home. 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. It is silk-lined inside and open at both ends. Youll rarely find them in your wardrobe or closet anyway, as theyre not known to be closet bugs due to low humidity in a drawer. So most species of bagworms will hatch in the springtime. The eggs then remain stuck inside the bag, which is then usually found on your ceiling, walls, and yard. Mint leaves have been known to repel moths and you can utilize this to your advantage by placing them around your home and garden. Heres a resource you can check out to find out what foods to feed. However, proper identification by a specialist is advised, because case-bearing species other than P. uterella might be in those states. Scales are also visible. Wing venation is very important for genera identification, and was described by Hinton and Bradley in 1956. Check the. Both ends of the case are identical, and are used by the larva to hide. The larva is also transported to nearby plants by wind. ), 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. The household casebearer, Phereoeca uterella, is a moth in the Tineidae family of Lepidoptera. You might also find them hanging off of exterior stucco, near outdoor lights, or underneath chairs and benches. They look like theyve been here for a while. Of course, monitor your tape and traps to check the progress. Take a broom to those high corners near the ceiling. This allows them to quickly reproduce and build up to extreme numbers. Plaster bagworms love florida homes by Rodney Bowman - Issuu 1933. Res. They fly fairly well, but usually rest on walls, floor edges, or on webs of house spiders (theridiids) (Aiello 1979). Cases can be found on wool rugs and wool carpets, hanging on curtains, or underneath buildings, hanging from subflooring, joists, sills and foundations; on the exterior of buildings in shaded places, under farm sheds, under lawn furniture, on stored farm machinery and on tree trunks. Once the caterpillar becomes a moth, these bugs can create even more issues. And of course, be safe with anything that can puncture. After it pupates into a moth, the adult moth can fly and will abandon the empty case. Egg: After mating, females lay their eggs on crevices and the junction of walls and floors, cementing them on debris. Thanks, You dont need to make a huge hole in it. A braconid wasp, Apanteles carpatus (Say), parasitizes larvae of case-bearing moths, killing the larva before pupation. After that, set up sticky traps in that area to catch any larvae that crawl across them. Common Names of Insects & Related Organisms. Pupa: Pupation occurs inside the case. The eggs are found on crevices, cracks, and joints of doors, walls, and baseboards. If youre doing this outdoors, youll have to reapply often because of the elements. This pupal phase spans about 16 days on average. XVI: Two new genera of clothes moths (Tineidae). Bagworm life cycle in Kansas City. Even if you sweep away spiderwebs, the bugs food source only ends up on the floor. Within the household, they can be found in dark, humid areas. Put on a pair of garden gloves, goggles, and long sleeves because were going to get dirty! She then leaves her bag and drops to the ground; the eggs overwinter. Then place it on the floor and grab a ladder. Hetrick (1957) found that the most common and abundant food of the household casebearer in Florida is old spider webs, consumed in large quantities. Apply a layer of adhesive sticky tape around the baseboards of any area that has bags. In terms of shape and appearance, it looks pretty similar to a watermelon or pumpkin seed. Aiello (1979) indicates that the number of instars may vary among individuals of both sexes. Then scrub your walls with the wet sponge. Figure 5. Fast. Old cases of its own species were chewed as well. I keep my apartment clean. Bagworm Forecast | USA National Phenology Network Most people know this species by the name plaster bagworm. Inside your house, protective cocoons can appear anywhere. I still dont so In constructing the case, the larva secretes silk to build an arch attached at both ends to the substrate. Bosik JJ et al. The heads of both sexes are uniformly clothed with dense, rough hairs.