F-519521 
FIGURE 164.—Red oak leaves 
skeletonized by larvae of 
the oak skeletonizer, Buc- 
culatrix ainsliella. 
to enlarge the bags as they grow. An opening is maintained at 
the top of the bag, through which the head and several segments 
of the body protrude when the larva is moving, feeding, or en- 
larging its case. There is also a smaller opening in the bottom end 
of the bag, through which excrement drops out. About 24 species 
have been recorded from eastern United States (185). Jones and 
Parks (406) discussed the species occurring in Texas. 
Oiketicus abbotwu Grote occurs over much of the Atlantic and 
Gulf Coastal Plains from North Carolina to Texas. It feeds on 
many species of trees such as cypress, live oak, bayberry, syca- 
more, elm, hackberry, sweetgum, and willow. It is noted for the 
rather large bag, from 69 to 70 mm. long, which the larva con- 
structs. Small twigs used in its construction are placed in a cir- 
cular pattern around it. Fumaria casta (Fall.) feeds on lichens, 
mosses, and the beech scale, Cryptococcus fagi, in Massachusetts. 
The larvae occasionally climb up on the sides of houses in such 
large numbers that they are a nuisance. PBasicladus celibatus 
(Jones) frequently attaches its bags to the lower trunks of oaks 
and pines in coastal areas from North Carolina to Florida. The 
larvae are general feeders on low vegetation and may feed on 
trees. 
The bagworm, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis (Haw.), is 
widely distributed in eastern United States, and attacks a wide 
variety of trees. Arborvitae and red cedar appear to be preferred, 
but many other conifers and hardwoods such as pine, spruce, 
black locust, sycamore, willow, maple, elm, basswood, poplar, oak, 
cypress, and persimmon are also attacked. The male moth is sooty 
black, densely hairy, and has a wingspread of about 25 mm. Fe- 
males are wingless, have no functional legs, eyes, or antennae, 
and are almost maggot-like in appearance. The body is soft, yel- 
lowish-white, and practically naked except for a circle of woolly 
41 
