The Kansan
Last year’s bagworm infestation was the worst I have ever seen! This year I have been getting questions earlier in the year than ever before. During the summer in Kansas, bagworms may defoliate arborvitae, junipers and other trees and shrubs. I think I saw bagworm on just about every tree and shrub that grows in Kansas last year. My dad even had a bagworm attached to his pickup truck bed! Bagworms are caterpillars that live inside spindle-shaped bags which they construct to protect themselves against birds and other enemies. These bags, composed of silken threads and bits of foliage, look so much like a part of the tree that they may go unnoticed until extensive damage has occurred. Bagworms are common throughout the state.