How to Identify a Pod Hanging on a Cypress Branch

Put on gloves if desired to protect hands. Choose a time in midsummer or winter to examine cypress for hanging pods. In winter, the eggs are in pods waiting to hatch into larvae, and in midsummer, the larvae are in pods developing into adults. Grasp the cypress limb with the pod hanging from it. Pull it to a position so that the entire pod can be seen to determine the presence of bagworms.

Look for clues on the cypress tree, such as brown patches or defoliated areas. This helps locate the hanging pods, which are around two inches in length. The 1/8- to 2-inch-long, tan-colored larvae carry the protective bags, moving along limbs and feeding on the foliage of cypress trees, which results in the defoliation. As they feed, the larvae add parts from the tree, such as needles, to the outer surface of the bag in order to camouflage it.

Look closely at the shape and color of the pod. Bagworm pods are typically green or brown and about two inches long, shaped similar to a cone or carrot. Newer pods may appear greener, while older pods may appear browner in color as the foliage that camouflages it dries and ages.

Watch for the pods to open in late summer when mature male moths emerge from their bags and begin seeking female mates in other pods on the tree. Adult male bagworm moths are hairy in appearance, with a dark-colored body and clear wings with a 1-inch wingspan. Adult females have no legs or wings, are yellow in color, and more closely resemble worms.