Your Main Takeaway: How to tell if your trees are infested by bagworms or webworms?
Both of these insects do serious long-term damage to trees. Smaller or already-stressed trees can be killed by the worms. See the differences between these tree pests below.
- Bagworms have small nests | webworms build large nests
- Bagworms attack evergreens | webworms attack deciduous trees
- Bagworms use individual nests | webworms live in colonies
If you need help getting rid of either of these harmful pests, call or text CitiTurf at 972-516-0001
Noticing Damage to Your Trees?
You’re right to pause and wonder what all the weird webs hanging from your trees are. Nope. Spiderman didn’t move next door. If the webs look like small brown bags dangling from branches, you likely have either bagworms or webworms. Both are unwanted guests that will do serious damage to your trees.
Both worm types are destructive, but they look and behave very differently. Fortunately, those differences make it possible to protect your trees with the right pest control steps. This guide gives you everything you need to know so you can kick these trespassing worms off your property.
What Are Bagworms?
Bagworms are dark-brown or black caterpillar-like insects that build small silk “nests” or “bags” in trees. The bags include bits of the tree, like dead leaves, bark, and debris, which gives bagworms camouflage, making them hard to spot. Baby bagworms in the form of larvae live in these nests and begin devouring tree leaves as they emerge from the larval state.
This feeding cycle takes little bites of health away from trees, bit by bit. Over time, as the infestation grows, it can strip trees of the majority of their leaves. This robs trees of their attractiveness and natural shape. Even worse? It opens them up to stress and disease.
In other words, bagworms might be the first domino that falls, knocking down others that lead to a seriously unhealthy tree. To stop that first domino, look for signs.
Common Signs of Bagworms
The first thing to notice is the tree type. Bagworms mainly live in evergreen trees, including junipers or cedars. They can defoliate an entire tree in just a few weeks if left untreated. Think, hungry teenage boys and unlimited snacks.
Defoliate: to deprive a tree of leaves especially, prematurely. ~Webster’s
4 more signs of bagworms:
- Small, spindle-shaped bags hanging from branches (0.5 to 2 inches long)
- Bags that move slightly in the wind (each has a caterpillar inside)
- Thinning or browning foliage
- Silk threads trailing from branches, which can spread infestations to nearby trees
What Are Webworms?
Webworms are common in North Texas, especially in late summer and early fall. They’re the flip side of hermit-like bagworms. Webworms gather in large groups (dozens to hundreds), making their feeding frenzies very destructive very quickly.
These caterpillar-like worms are covered in fine hairs, and their coloring includes pale yellow and green. Their large, ever-expanding nests are notorious for turning handsome trees into eyesores if the pests are ignored.
To keep that from happening, these indicators “tell on” the pests.
Common Signs of Webworms
Again, the tree type is key. Webworms almost always build their silky colonies in deciduous trees such as a pecan or oak. Look for signs of tree stress due to the worms treating leaves like an all-you-can-eat buffet, which interferes with the tree’s photosynthesis process.
Other indicators of webworm activity:
- Large web-like nests at the tips of branches
- Clusters of small caterpillars inside these webs
- Brown, skeletonized leaves in affected areas
- Nests that get bigger as the infestation spreads
Comparison Table: Bagworms vs Webworms
| Feature | Bagworms | Webworms |
| Appearance | Small, cone-shaped bags made of silk, leaves, and bark | Large, silken webs covering branch tips |
| Tree Type Affected | Evergreens (juniper, cedar, cypress) | Deciduous trees (pecan, oak, mulberry) |
| Behavior | Solitary insects that feed inside individual bags | Social caterpillars that feed in clusters inside webs |
| Damage Pattern | Thinning or bare foliage starting from upper branches | Browned or skeletonized leaves within large web masses |
| Season | Summer through early fall | Late summer through fall |
| Bag/Web Location | Attached to individual branches throughout the tree | Concentrated at branch ends and outer canopy |
| Larva Appearance | Dark brown to black caterpillar, stays hidden in bag | Pale yellow to greenish caterpillar with fine hairs, visible in groups |
| Mobility | Carries bag while moving along branches | Remains within web structure while feeding |
| Threat Level | High – can kill evergreens if left untreated | Moderate – weakens trees but rarely kills healthy specimens |
| Best Removal Method | Hand-picking bags in winter or targeted insecticide in early summer | Physical removal of webs or insecticide treatment in late summer |
| Sign of Infestation | Brown, dead patches on evergreens; bags visible year-round | Unsightly webs with skeletonized leaves inside; webs disappear in winter |
Why Acting Quickly Matters So Much
After the real tree-damaging worm has been identified, it’s time for action. It’s a scientific fact. If not treated promptly, both bagworms and webworms will cause serious long-term damage to trees. When trees have their leaves eaten away, they get weakened little by little.
Losing the natural strength that leaves provide makes trees extra vulnerable to drought, disease, and other pests.
Unfortunately, that makes you more likely to have to deal with major tree problems in the future, including hazardous dead limbs or even the need for tree removal. This is especially true for new trees and ones already stressed.
Remember, it’s a domino effect that often starts with webworms or bagworms.
Early professional treatment helps stop these pests before the first domino falls toward an infestation that may even spread to other trees or shrubs.
How CitiTurf Helps Protect Your Trees
Our experienced and licensed technicians start with a professional inspection. After verifying the pest is present and identifying the correct species of worm, the technician chooses the right treatment.
These treatments are finely targeted, meaning they’re designed to only affect the specific pest. No worries about the treatment affecting other wildlife or the tree itself.
Our tree pest control process is laid out below.
- Inspection: We determine whether bagworms, webworms, or another pest is present.
- Treatment: A special insecticide targets caterpillars while protecting the rest of the landscape.
- Follow-Up Care: CitiTurf will monitor affected areas and guide you on future prevention.
Our team gives you the peace of mind that your trees are protected and your landscape is staying healthy, vibrant, and thriving. After all, every part of your landscape can affect the other landscaping elements.
Healthy trees are a crucial part of that natural cycle.
