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Garden Gate:  Arborbvite with Bagworms...  |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 26 2012 : 1:03:58 PM
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Hello Sisters,
I am hoping that someone has an answer to this problem. I have a "burm" of arborvites planted across the front of my property as a break from the road. They have been growing beautifully for probably 10 years and have made such a nice green screen from the road.
Last week I happened to notice that it looked like one of the trees was dying- it was turning all brown. Well, after inspection of all of the trees and some googling I realized that they are infested with "bagworms" which are these very strange catepillars that eat and destroy the trees!
It seems that the only real way to get rid of them and hopefully save the remaining trees is via pesticide spraying which I am reluctant to do. I did read that you could hand pick them off- but honestly there are thousands of them on just about every tree- and some are so high up I couldnt do it even if I wanted to.
Just wondering if anyone has and "organic" solutions to this problem? I do not use and pesticides or commercial fertilizers etc on my property/gardens, so I would hate to have to start now, but I am devastated that there is a good possibility that I may loose these trees!
Help!
Hugs,
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.. |
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2012 : 8:30:06 PM
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Is it for sure that it is making the tree sick. I get black spiny caterpillars that have sort of webs on my elm trees but they turn into beautiful butterflies and although they look icky some years they don't last long and they move on. Some years there are hardly any of them. I'm posting this because I don't know if these are bagworms or not but maybe your trees will be and you dont have to worry about it. Of course I do have a lot of chickens running around so maybe they help keep the population down. Maybe they fall to the ground sometime during their life cycle. I know these things do but if what you have does maybe some chickens or guineas or turkeys would help? Good luck.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
www.nmbarrelhorses.com |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2012 : 8:47:05 PM
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Thanks Laura, but unfortunately the prognosis does not look good here. Our next step is to decide whether or not we want to call in a professional, which as I said I hate to do beacause I try very hard to keep everything organic around here. Havent sprayed anything in years and years. Hoping maybe I can find an organic solution but its not looking good right now.
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
View my New Blog:
http://simplesuburbanpleasures.blogspot.com
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.. |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2012 : 2:22:44 PM
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Turns out that "BT" supposedly will kill the catepillars. From what I understand this is not a chemicl but a form of a bacteria that you spray the bushes/trees with and this crystalizes and kills the lil buggers!
Today we raked up all of the dead pine needles etc from under each tree, and hand picked alot of them off disposing of them in soapy water. I went to the local nursery and bought 2 bottles of this "catepillar spray" which is basically "BT" and have sprayed all of the bushes/trees with a hose sprayer attachment. We plan on spraying it again in a few days for good measure. One arborvite is completely dead already and several other are hurting, we are hoping we can save them.
Wish us luck please...we could use it right about now.
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
View my New Blog:
http://simplesuburbanpleasures.blogspot.com
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.. |
Edited by - laurentany on Jul 27 2012 2:23:28 PM |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4739 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4739 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2012 : 2:41:47 PM
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I'm sorry the bag worms killed your arborvitae. I had problems with bag worms two houses ago. I did spray the minute I saw the bags and were able to save the trees. They didn't look to great for a year or so, but they did come back. Hopefully most of yours will come back after their treatment next year.
Best of luck!
Dawn in IL |
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laurentany
True Blue Farmgirl
3259 Posts
Laurie
Patchogue
NY
USA
3259 Posts |
Posted - Jul 29 2012 : 7:22:45 PM
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Thanks Dawn,
Really hoping that we save most of them- one is definately gone, but fingers crossed for the others! We did one treatment on Saturday and we are going to spray again in a few days to be sure.
Hugs,
~Laurie
"Little Hen House on the Island"
Farmgirl Sister#1403
View my New Blog:
http://simplesuburbanpleasures.blogspot.com
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.. |
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Garden Gate: Arborbvite with Bagworms... |
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Arborbvite with Bagworms...
