JOURNAL 
OF 
The New York Botanical Garden 
VoL. XX jee, 1919 , No. 235 
THE BAGWORM OR BASKET-WORM 
(WITH PLATE 232) 
One of the biting insects which is responsible for a great deal 
of damage to trees and shrubs both in parks and in private 
grounds is the insect which is indicated by the title of this paper. 
The characteristic habits of the insect have given to it the very 
suggestive name which it hears. During the process of feeding 
the worm spins about itself a bag or basket which is carried about 
with it during the entire feeding stage. The bag is composed of 
silk together with bits of leaves or minute twigs from the plant 
on which the insects happens to be feeding. These are woven 
together in such a way as to obscure the caterpillar within and 
present a very ragged and unkempt appearance. Whether the 
bits of leaves and other debris are used to strengthen the bag or 
are employed as a deceptive device to render the insect less 
conspicuous is a question which the reader is at liberty to answer 
for himself, 
While feeding, the head of the worm can be seen protruding 
from the mouth of the bag, which is carried by the caterpillar 
while it clings to the plant with its three pairs of strong legs. 
When disturbed or while at rest the bag is suspended from a twig 
by a mass of sill threads which are wound about the twig like a 
sheath, the caterpillar then being entirely concealed within. 
Unlike many of our troublesome insect pests, the bagworm is 
undoubtedly a native ‘of this country, being found in the eastern 
half of the United States as far north as Massachusetts and as 
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