The most noticeable one is their shape: the Plaster Bagworm has a squarish body, while the Florida Bagworm has a more cylindrical body. The Florida Bagworm and the Plaster Bagworm have some significant differences. Adult moths are typically seen from May to October but can sometimes be seen from January to November. The caterpillar stage of the Plaster Bagworm could take up to four months, depending on temperature and food source. When Is Bagworm Moth Season in Florida?Ĭommon bagworm larvae usually emerge in late spring and early summer and may disperse through the air using silk threads some may stay on their host plant if food is available. The typical life cycle of plaster bagworms is completed in roughly three months, allowing them to quickly reproduce and spread across the state with ease from one favorable environment to another. Experts suspect that the infestation began when eggs were inadvertently introduced as shipping cargo from somewhere outside of Florida. The subtropical climate in Florida provides an ideal environment for plaster bagworms, who thrive in warm temperatures. Source: Why Are Plaster Bagworms Targeting Florida? Adults at rest hold their wings tented over the body.Īdult females have a wing span of 10 to 13 mm long, while males are a bit smaller with a wing span of 7 to 9 mm) and are relatively thinner than the females, with a less distinctive wing pattern. The antennae are filiform (threadlike), as long as the wings, and are held back over the body. They are gray with up to four spots on the fore wings and a brush of long, lighter gray hair-like scales along the posterior margin of the hind wings. They are known to cause considerable damage to structures in tropical climates like Florida. This particular species has a rather unique method of using spider webs to inoculate their nests, and the larvae molt the hatched eggs onto a substrate of plaster or other construction materials. Plaster bagworms are a species of moth that typically feed on plant matter and commonly build their cocoons from materials such as sand, lime, twigs, nails, and whatever else is available. In this article, I'll discuss why these bagworms are so prominent in south-eastern Florida and, ultimately, what you can do about it! What Are Plaster Bagworms? Normally, residents report to us that they see bagworms during this stage of their lifecycle, meaning they report seeing worm-like caterpillars more often than moths. As larvae, plaster bagworms typically cause the most damage. It's in these very cocoons that more than 200 eggs lay dormant throughout the winter, safe inside the protective casing, just waiting for their spring breakfast. They measure an average of one inch long and feed on lint, dead insects, and other debris like plant fragments such as coniferous trees, and believe it or not, bits of sand and household debris that they use to craft their webs.ĭespite the fact that they don't damage the structure of homes or attack household items indoors, they can cause trouble by getting into places like bedroom closets and cupboards, as this is where they tend to spin their hard webbed shelled silken cocoons. These tiny moths, also known as Phereoeca Uterella, are native to Florida but can be found in other parts of the world too. It's probably just a harmless plaster bagworm. A complete life cycle from egg to adult moth requires about 2.5 months.Have you ever seen a small, gray-brown worm with hair-like scales and a speckled pattern crawling up the side of your house or interior walls? Don't worry-it's not a dangerous pest. Large numbers also have been found feeding on the growth of mycelia of decay fungi on structural wood. While they are not well known it is likely they feed on detritus and bits of organic debris found within structures, but they also will feed on wool materials when they find them. The larva immediately creates its silk case and it is a very active stage, wandering in search of food. Females deposit up to 200 eggs, cementing them to surfaces and on debris where larvae may find food. It is often confused with the Casemaking Clothes moth because the larvae of both moths as well as the Household casebearer will create a small silk “case” for itself, camouflaged with debris from its local environment, and drag this case about as it wanders. This moth is closely related to the Household Casebearer, which is discussed separately and which is a distinct species. This moth may be native to Latin America and is more common in southern California than anywhere else in the U.S.
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