WHAT’S BUGGIN’ YOUR LANDSCAPE?

Close your eyes and imagine a delicious buffet of your favorite foods – prepared and waiting for you to enjoy. Are you salivating yet? Now open your eyes and be aware of all of the bugs and insects who view your landscape (plants, trees, and lawn) the same way. Plants with succulent, tender leaves that are not only tasty, but are abundant. It’s that time of the year when insect pests are very active; so, it requires diligence to spot and control their ravenous activities.

 One of the more common destructive pests are bagworms. Bagworms are native moth larvae that develop inside a cocoon (silk bag) woven around their bodies. They travel inside their bag, attaching to twigs of trees and plants with strands of silk. They devour leaves and needles on more than 125 species of evergreen and deciduous woody plants in 45 plant families. As the caterpillars mature, they weave additional host plant debris into the bag, leading to a well camouflaged home. In southwest Ohio, they specifically damage spruces, eastern redcedar, junipers, and arborvitae, but can affect other trees and shrubs. Since one female can produce 500 to 1000 eggs, the damage they can inflict spreads quickly.

In southwest Ohio, bagworm season is underway. Early detection is critical to preventing damage to your landscape. If you see browning leaves and bare branches, the damage may be from bagworms. Greenbush would like to partner with you to preserve your trees, shrubs, and plants in their natural beauty. You may contact Greenbush for a free inspection and quote. Email at greenbushpros.com or phone at 937-787-4490.