Insect · GBIF taxon 1853312
Evergreen Bagworm Moth
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisAlso known as Eastern Bagworm, Common Bagworm, North American Bagworm, Common Basket Worm
Caterpillars construct an intricately armored silk case disguised with pine needles, twigs, and leaf fragments, carrying it wherever they feed. Adult females are wingless, legless, and grub-like, never leaving their natal bag even during mating. Males transform into furry, clear-winged fliers that locate females via pheromones before perishing within a few days of emergence.
CamouflageHerbivorousForestry Pest
Licensed reference(c) Teá Montagna, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Eastern Redcedar
- Arborvitae Foliage
- Juniper Leaves
Predators
- Tufted Titmouse
- Downy Woodpecker
- Parasitoid Wasp
ThreatsParasitoid wasps, insectivorous birds, and freezing winter temperatures
HabitatsConiferous and mixed forests, suburban hedgerows, parks, and ornamental gardens
Life span1 year (adult males live 1–2 days; adult females live several weeks inside bag)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyPsychidae
- GenusThyridopteryx
- SpeciesThyridopteryx ephemeraeformis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Finding Bags: Look for spindle-shaped, pine needle-covered sacks hanging from twigs in autumn and winter.
- Observing Larvae: Watch active cases closely in midsummer to see the caterpillar head emerge to feed.
- Garden Care: Pluck and destroy hanging bags by hand in late winter to protect ornamental evergreens.
Host Plant (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Host Plant (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Parasitoid (c) Zachary Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zachary Dankowicz · cc-by
Predator No machine-readable author provided. Mdf assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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Found in Collections
Species set
Moonlight Marvels
Evergreen Bagworm Moth is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
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