Things I Wish I Didn't Know About Our Landscaping

If you read these "landscaping" posts in a certain order, you'll remember that we spray a big Spruce tree (I think it's a Spruce...), with an insecticide to kill something called "bag worms". We pay 75 dollars for this service, that probably takes the man 5 minutes.

The folks that sold us this house were very specific about the care of the place. They even went so far as to write down what they used to clean the kitchen floors. (I'll tell you what, I use it too, I don't want to come in and change the world...)

Anyway, they wrote that we should spray the big tree in back for "bag worms". I thought for a long time, that her note said "big worms", so I was quite terrified, and was thrilled the day the man came to spray. But he said they were "bag worms", and not "too big".

So, because Don and Phyllis were so specific that we should spray that one tree for "bag worms" and another tree for some kind of Maple-tree-eating insect, I was surprised to hear from Frank today, notifying me that three of the smaller landscape trees on the side of the house were going down for the count.

"What's wrong with them?" I said.

"I don't know." he said, "It's like they have some kind of bags hanging from them, with little worms coming out."

Well, I knew what to do far quicker than he did, proving yet again, that I'm smarter.

"Hmm." I said. "I'm just not sure what that would be. I'll have to google for something like, "worm and bag" and I'll call you back."

Well, I googled for worm and bag, and discovered that all sorts of evergreen trees can get something called, "Bag Worms"! I'd heard of that! In the note!

Thank goodness for my quick mind.


Anyhow, I came home, and discovered to my horror, that

• one tree is probably already dead
• they can spread quickly to all the little trees
  
• the man can spray, but it will cost Another 75 dollars
• bag worms can come back multiple times throughout the summer

And

• he makes NO GUARANTEES

So, of course, I tried to beat the creepy little suckers off with the rake. But, it didn't seem to be deterring them, although it did knock some down to writhe sickly on the ground.

Here is a video of the horror. Of course, I didn't take video of me beating the tree with the rake, because the neighbor already saw that and made fun of me.

This is just a little video to share what they look like after they are fat and happy from killing ONE OF THE LITTLE LANDSCAPE TREES!!!!

Also, because I strive to be informational at all times, and because maybe this page will come up now if someone googles "bag worms", I'll tell you that they look just like thin pine cones. Until they move.





He's coming on Monday to spray.