INSECT CONTROL RECIPE
Bag Worms
Hand-picking paired with a soap spray for hatchlings stops bagworms before they can defoliate an entire evergreen.
Prep: 10 minutes
Yields: about 1 quart spray
Organic-friendly
Ingredients
1 quart water
2 1/2 tablespoons mild liquid dish soap
Spray bottle
Instructions
1
From fall through late winter, hand-pick and destroy any spindle-shaped bags hanging from branches.
2
In late spring, mix the water and dish soap in a spray bottle once eggs begin hatching.
3
Spray young caterpillars thoroughly as soon as they emerge and before they build protective bags.
4
Recheck weekly through early summer and hand-pick any bags that were missed.
Tip: Winter is the best time to hand-pick — the spindle-shaped bags are easy to spot on bare branches and each one holds hundreds of overwintering eggs.
