HIV. INSEOTS, 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
FARMERS’ 
BULLETIN 
Wasuinerton, D. C. 7Ol1 January 15, 1916 
Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology, L. O. Howard, Chief. 
THE BAGWORM, AN INJURIOUS SHADE-TREE 
INSECT.’ 
By L. O. Howarp and F. H. CH1iTTENDEN. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. Page. 
General appearance and nature of BEL OGRE OL Sara g SS ete eee ae 3 
SUC Ken ene 2 a ee 1 Habrtsrand life history=—— 222225 5 
Original home and present distribu- Natiralvenemics2= 2. oe = eer et i 
2 EU CTNC HRS Stet = Sa Re eee ae ee 7 
LEGO 2 2 ee ee ee ee 
GENERAL APPEARANCE AND NATURE OF ATTACK. 
Shade trees, shrubs, and hedges, and in particular evergreens, are 
much subject to injury by a caterpillar which has a curious habit of 
crawling about on the infested trees in a baglike case, whence its com- 
mon name of bagworm or basket worm.' In the shelter of these cases 
the insects undergo all their transformations, after which the bags 
remain attached to the plants for some time and are conspicuous ob- 
jects on leafless trees and shrubs in late autumn and in winter. Like 
the tussock moth? and the fall webworm® this species is preemi- 
nently a pest on trees and shrubs along streets and in parks and 
private grounds of cities and towns and even more than these is sub- 
ject to fluctuation in numbers. It is, however, more limited in dis- 
tribution than the two insects mentioned and not found as a rule 
1Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis Haworth; order Lepidoptera and family Psychide. 
2 Hemerocampa leucostigma 8. & A. 
® Hyphantria cunea Dru. 
Nore.—This bulletin is suitable for distribution in the southeastern portion of the 
United States. 
11432°—16 
