Search Results for: bagworms

June 5, 2025 Tim Waller, William Errickson and Steven K. Rettke

Bagworms + PEST ALERTS (SCALE crawlers) + Ornamental IPM 5/27 Recording Upload

Bagworms should begin hatching NOW through – 4 weeks in NJ, beginning in the southern regions. Now is an optimal time to get this pest on your radar and prepare materials or approaches to attack first/second instar caterpillars. The control window for this pest is typically between 600-900 GDD₅₀ when they begin to hatch and become airborne, i.e. the “ballooning” phase. It is important to check for egg-hatch prior to applications for greatest chemical efficacy, and to continue scouting as they often hatch and develop at asynchronous rates.

It is critical to target these insects EARLY! We need to target when they are as small as shown in the image.

Bagworm management – mechanical: If eggs have not hatched: hand-remove sacs/bags. Typically female/egg filled sacs are higher in the canopy so keep that in mind while scouting. This removes the problem from the field or landscape.

Treatment options for Lepidoptera (caterpillars) to have at the ready – containing: B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis), spinosad , bifenthrin ), cyfluthrin, carbaryl, chlorantraniliprole, cyclaniliprole, cyclaniliprole + flonicamid, Lambda-cyhalothrin, cyantraniliprole, Indoxacarb. NOTE – Lethal pesticide doses are important, as sub-lethal doses can trigger early pupation, making the pest all but invincible to chemical or biological treatments. Follow label exactly.

Still time to Sign up for the 2025 – Rutgers Ornamental IPM Program

(Join us for the next Session Tuesday 6/10/25)

Note we have clearwing borer lures and wing or delta traps, scale crawler tape, and yellow sticky cards available to commercial grower program members at our Cumberland (twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu) and Monmouth (william.errickson@njaes.rutgers.edu) RCE offices.

ALERTS:

Scale crawler emergence throughout the state
Bronze Birch Borer (BBB) and Emerald Ash Borer approaching adult emergence
Clearwing Borer adult flight – still capturing clearwings
Red-headed flea beetle (RHFB) egg hatch – adult emergence
Bagworm reminders – be vigilant

UPLOADS 5/27 SESSION: (contains information on flathead borers (Bronze Birch, Emerald Ash), Armored scales, bagworms, Volutella blight in Boxwoods, Mildews)

Previous webinars:

Click here for a PDF of May 13, 2025 webinar (contains information on scales and oomycetes) Click here for VIDEO of May 13, 2025 webinar
Click here for a PDF of April 22, 2025 webinar (contains information on RHFB and early Clearwing borer treatments) Click here for VIDEO of April 22, 2025 webinar
Click here for a PDF of April 08, 2025 webinar (Contains information on aphids and boxwood leafminer) Click here for VIDEO of April 08, 2025 webinar

(click the ‘Read More’ below for complete dates in S-C-Northern NJ per pest)

May 20, 2024 Tim Waller

Nursery Update 5/20/24 – Red-headed flea beetle and flathead borer ADULT emergence, Boxwood blight, bagworms, more

Please note: The Rutgers Nursery and Green Industry Working Group is working to deliver regular pest and disease updates throughout the season. These will be in addition to important alerts, critical topics, and pesticide credit opportunities. This tool is made for you, the commercial agriculture business, so please let us know if there are particular topics you would like to see included in the regular update.

Email: twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu Phone: 856-451-2800 Ext. 1.

Projected GDD50 accumulation as of 5/20/2024 (for June – July)
CODE	Location	20-May	1-Jun	15-Jun	1-Jul	15-Jul
NJ50	Upper Deerfield (South)	437	658	957	1363	1766
NJ73	Vineland (South)	454	670	961	1360	1755
KMIV	Millville Airport (South)	445	655	942	1338	1730
NJ05	Greenwich (South)	453	681	984	1395	1798
NJ10	Howell (Central)	344	545	809	1180	1554
N59	High Point (North)	275	463	683	997	1316
USPEST.ORG – Model: simple average/growing degree-day, Min: 50F – Max: 95F, NMME forecast
Forecast: 7-month NMME based seasonal climate forecast (USPEST.ORG) – Subject to change regularly = Check Often

Please download and print the Rutgers Nursery and Landscape Pest Scouting Guide or Conifer and Christmas Tree Pest Scouting Guide and refer to this post “Obtaining your local growing degree-days (GDD)” for additional information. (See pest scouting guides for complete list of references)

Please SHARE what you SEE!! If you see a pest, disease, otherwise interesting or troublesome issue please report it to the Working Group by following the QR Code on the front of the Pest Scouting Guides or by filling out this reporting form.

Keep reading for more ALERTS – Red-headed flea beetle and Borer ADULT EMERGENCE, Boxwood Blight, bagworms [Read more…]

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery Tagged With: 2024 Nursery, bagworm, borer, boxwood, boxwood blight, boxwood blight risk model, bronze birch borer, emerald ash borer, emergence, IPM, IPM Observations, Nursery IPM, red headed flea beetle, redheaded flea beetle, scale, scale insects

May 24, 2023 Tim Waller

Get ready for bagworms…NOW

Days-old bagworm = critical management target – T. Waller – RCE

It is critical to target these insects EARLY!

IT IS CRITICAL TO ROTATE MATERIALS (Rotate between IRAC groups)

DISCLAIMER: The label is the law, always refer to it for allowable host crops, use-restrictions, application rates, reapplication intervals, re-entry intervals (REI), and mix compatibility information. Production and pesticide information on this site are for private/commercial pesticide applicators and landscape professionals only, and are NOT for home gardener use. Provided materials represent examples and do not cover all possible control scenarios. Please contact your local agent or chemical sales representative for more information or to discuss additional pest management options.

BAGWORMS (600-900 GDD) (Bagworm hatch prediction as of 5/24/23)
Crop type	Common Name	Scientific Name	GDD Min (50F)	GDD Max (95F)	Reference	Developmental / Target Stage
Conifer mostly, many minor hosts	Bagworm	Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis	600	900	RU	Larvae (early instars) – ONLY CONTROL WINDOW
Region	Location	Station	Date (600 GDD)	Date (900 GDD)	*Treatment window	*Bagworm Hatch – Predictions only, SCOUTING is critical! Treat as soon as larvae detected.
South	Upper Deerfield	NJ50	31-May	14-Jun	14 days
Central	Howell / Freehold	NJ10	9-Jun	23-Jun	14 days
North	High Point	NJ59	15-Jun	2-July	17 days

Please download and print the Rutgers Nursery and Landscape Pest Scouting Guide or Conifer and Christmas Tree Pest Scouting Guide and refer to this post “Obtaining your local growing degree-days (GDD)” for additional information. (See pest scouting guides for complete list of references – cited within lists below)

Filed Under: Christmas Trees, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: 2023 Christmas tree IPM, 2023 nursery IPM, bagworm, Christmas tree, Christmas tree IPM, GDD50, hatch, Insect management, insect pests, Nursery, Nursery IPM, pest scouting guide

May 24, 2022 Tim Waller

Nursery Pests Scouting June – Bagworms, Scales, Borers, RHFB, BWB

Red-headed flea beetle – Adult emergence beginning any day now

Please refer to this timeline of pest development compiled by Tim Waller in communication with Brain Kunkel (Unv. Del) and Danny Lauderdale (NC State)

Contains material selection and timing, along with regime information and considerations

Boxwood Blight Alert – Infection Potential (Saturday) 5/27

Boxwood Blight Risk Assessment as of 5/24/2022
Region	Location	CODE	24-May	25-May	26-May	27-May	28-May	29-May
Southern	Upper Deerfield	NJ50	Very Low	Very Low	Low	High Risk	Very Low	Very Low
Central	Howell / Freehold	NJ10	Very Low	Very Low	Low	Infection Risk	Very Low	Very Low
Northern	High Point	NJ59	Very Low	Very Low	Very Low	Infection Risk	Very Low	Low
Check local boxwood blight risk here (CLICK HERE – input your area code – select closest weather station – check 7-14 prediction – click on graph / table)

Refer to the most recent Alert for more information – CLICK HERE

Pest Scouting – Please refer to these documents for a full listing of insects pests for your area corresponding to growing degree-days (GDDs).

Nursery and Landscape Pest Scouting Guide 2022 PDF (note this contains conifer pests as well)
Conifer Pest Scouting Guide 2022 PDF

Contact if seeing insects at different times: twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu (or call the Cumberland County Extension Office – 856-451-2800)

The following key groups of pests will be active, vulnerable, or otherwise treatable during the next month throughout most of NJ. Here, bagworms, scale insects and borers with key life stage events during the 350-1500 GDD timeframe are discussed. Note there are many other insect pests present this time of year so please view the pest scouting guides above for your particular needs.

Projected GDD50 accumulation as of 5/24/2022 (USPEST)						Note: Growing degree-day values utilize daily average air temperatures with a minimum temperature threshold (a.k.a. ‘base’) of 50F = GDD50 (max. temp. threshold set at 95F). These values are accumulated from a biofix date, such as January or March 1st in the NE USA. Provided GDD50 are scouting ranges and should be truthed.
Region	Location	Station	24-May	1-Jun	1-Jul
South	Upper Deerfield	NJ50	488	638	1358
Central	Howell / Freehold	NJ10	426	551	1203
North	High Point	NJ59	288	387	909
Forecast: NOAA NCEP Coupled Forecast System model version 2 (CFSv2) forecast system (3.5 months) (USPEST.ORG)

Refer to this post “Obtaining your local growing degree-days” for additional information

BAGWORMS (600-900 GDD) (Bagworm hatch prediction as of 5/24/22 – now until July 14 (Southern NJ (NJ50)))

Crop type

Common Name

Scientific Name

GDD Min (50F)

GDD Max (95F)

Reference

Developmental / Target Stage

Conifer mostly, many minor hosts

Bagworm

Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis

600

900

Larvae (early instars) –

ONLY CONTROL WINDOW

Refer to this post for additional information on Bagworms

BORER Insect Activity for 350 – 1500 GDD (Now until ~July 1 in Southern NJ (NJ50))
Crop type	Common Name	Scientific Name	GDD Min (50F)	GDD Max (95F)	Reference	Developmental / Target Stage
Malus, Prunus, many	Lesser peach tree borer	Synanthedon pictipes	350	375	4	Adult flight, egg laying
Dogwood, apple, pecan, elm, hickory, willow	Dogwood borer	Synanthedon scitula	350	850	4	adults, eggs, caterpillars
Birch	Bronze Birch Borer	Agrilus anxius	440	880	RU	Adults (egg laying)
Malus, Prunus, many	Peach Tree Borer	Synanthedon sp.	500	600	RU	Adults – emerge (1st treatment both types)
Rhododendron	Rhododendron borer	Synanthedon rhododendri	509	696	RU	Adults emerge
Malus, Prunus, many	Greater peach tree borer	Synanthedon exitiosa	575	710	4	Adult emergence
Many	Roundheaded appletree borer	Saperda candida	802	1129	RU	Adults
Ash	Emerald ash borer	Agrilus planipennis	1000	1200	4	Peak adult activity
Malus, Prunus, many	Peachtree borer	Synanthedon sp.	1500	1800	RU	Larvae Treatment
Many	Roundheaded apple tree borer	Saperda candida	1514	1798	5	Typical treatment window
Conifer	Nantucket tip moth	Rhyacionia frustrana	1514	1917	RU	Adults 2nd generation

Click here – “Identifying Clearwing Moth Borers in Pheromone Traps” or “Differentiating the Common Wood Borers of Ash Trees”

May 18, 2021 Tim Waller

It is time to put Bagworms on your radar in Southern NJ

Photo: Rich Buckley

Bagworms should begin hatching in the next 2-6 weeks throughout NJ, starting in the southern regions. Now is an optimal time to get this pest on your radar and prepare materials or approaches to attack first/second instar caterpillars. The control window for this pest is typically between 600-900 GDD₅₀(growing degree-days) and treatments should be in use prior to their mobile, airborne, “ballooning” phase. Check that the eggs have hatched prior to application of pesticides – as most compounds will not be effective at all if the first instar caterpillars are not present. Lethal pesticide doses are important, as sub-lethal doses can trigger early pupation, making the pest all but invincible to chemical or biological treatments.

Bagworm management – mechanical: If eggs have not hatched: hand-remove sacs/bags. Typically female/egg filled sacs are higher in the canopy so keep that in mind while scouting.

Treatment options for Lepidoptera (caterpillars) to have at the ready – containing: B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis)(Dipel), spinosad (Entrust SC), bifenthrin (Talstar, UP-Star), cyfluthrin (Decathlon 20WP), carbaryl (Sevin SL), chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryn), cyclaniliprole (Sarisa), cyclaniliprole + flonicamid (Pradia), Lambda-cyhalothrin (Scimitar GC), cyantraniliprole (Mainspring), Indoxacarb(Provaunt)

IT IS CRITICAL TO ROTATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BETWEEN IRAC GROUPS DUE TO THE NUMBER OF POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

DISCLAIMER: The label is the law, always refer to it for allowable host crops, use-restrictions, application rates, reapplication intervals, re-entry intervals (REI), and mix compatibility information. Production and pesticide information on this site are for private/commercial pesticide applicators and landscape professionals only, and are NOT for home gardener use. Provided materials represent examples and do not cover all possible control scenarios. Trade-names listed do not imply endorsement and are used as examples only. Please contact your local agent or chemical sales representative for more information or to discuss additional pest management options.

More information on Bagworms:

Steve Rettke’s 2020 PPA Post – Bagworm caterpillars have hatched throughout most of NJ

RU Bagworm FactSheet

Bagworms on Ornamental Landscape Plants

Photo Credits: Rich Buckley (Plant Diagnostics Laboratory) https://njaes.rutgers.edu/plant-diagnostic-lab/

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf, Uncategorized Tagged With: bagworm, conifer, Growing degree-days, Insect management, insecticides, Nursery

June 8, 2020 Tim Waller

Bagworms will be hatching very soon and need attention

This advisory has three topics: (1) Bagworm hatch, (2) boxwood blight activity, and (3) NJNLA online pesticide credit course availability.

Photo: Rich Buckley

(1) Bagworms

Bagworms (and many other caterpillars) will be hatching any day now, and should be managed very soon. Bagworms should be targeted during egg hatch through first/second instar caterpillars, typically between 600-900 GDD₅₀(growing degree-days) prior to their airborne “ballooning” phase. Check that the eggs have hatched prior to application of pesticides as most compounds will not be effective at all if the first instar caterpillars are not present. Lethal pesticide doses are important, as sub-lethal doses can trigger early pupation, making the pest all but invincible.

Growing degree-days as of 6/7 (Using NEWA): (Upper Deerfield: 651 GDD₅₀)(Howell: 502 GDD₅₀)(Pequest: 414.5 GDD₅₀)

Bagworm management: If eggs have not hatched: hand-remove sacs/bags. Typically female/egg filled sacs are higher in the canopy so keep that in mind while scouting.

Bagworm preferred materials: B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis) and Spinosad containing compounds.

Other bagworm material options: Indoxacarb(Provaunt), chlorantraniliprole (Acelepryne), cyantraniliprole (Ference), growth regulator such as tebufenozide (Mimic), and many other compounds are available. Please contact your extension agent or chemical dealer for more information.

Please read the label. The label will provide use rates, restrictions (phytotoxicity or pollinator concerns), and re-application intervals.

Bagworm links / Shade tree insect recommendations:

https://plant-pest-advisory.rutgers.edu/bagworm-caterpillars-have-hatched-throughout-most-of-nj/#more-5610

https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=FS1144

https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=E334

Photo Credits: Rich Buckley (Plant Diagnostics Laboratory) https://njaes.rutgers.edu/plant-diagnostic-lab/

(2) Boxwood blight

Please continue or initiate protective/preventative applications this week for Boxwood Blight.

Previous Boxwood PPA 6/4/2020: https://plant-pest-advisory.rutgers.edu/immediate-potential-for-boxwood-blight-activity/

Boxwood blight activity as of today (6/8) for the next week (using a Millville, NJ weather station)

As of now the predicative model found at (https://uspest.org/risk/boxwood_app) indicates that there is a possibility for Boxwood Blight activity Wednesday (10^th) and Thursday (11^th) of this week. Additionally, I am expecting another round of pathogen activity on Sunday (14^th). The tropical storm systems pushing up from the south may bring higher winds and short periods of rain that could easily spread the disease if present. Be mindful of overhead irrigation during this period and only water when leaves will have adequate time to dry.

Please visit and use this webpage for local disease forecasting (select a close-by weather station within the website or application): https://uspest.org/risk/boxwood_app)

(3) NJNLA online pesticide credit opportunity

NJNLA pesticide credit webinar/course: Invasive Forest Pests: New Threats and Their Management

Sign-up: https://www.njnla.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1383945

Webinar – June 10^th, 2020 – 7:00pm to 8:30pm. Invasive Forest Pests: New Threats and Their Management. You must include your email address when registering. Information to join Webinar will be sent just prior to the start. Cost: $35/Member, $50/Non-Member

NJ Pest Credits: 3A (Ornamentals) – 3, PP2 (Private Applicator Category) – 3, Plus: 2 (Forest) – 3, 8C (Campgrounds) – 3, 9 (Regulatory) – 3,. CNLP: Environment – 1.5, LTE/LTCO: 1 CEU, NJUCF: 1 CEU and ISA is still pending.

Please take the 2020 Nursery Industry Survey: https://forms.gle/dUjLxaiu6qDQYYsRA

Have a plant problem? Contact the Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Laboratory https://njaes.rutgers.edu/plant-diagnostic-lab/

Timothy J. Waller, Ph.D. @ twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu

Filed Under: Disease Forecasting, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Turf