Banana
Bag Worm
Kophene cuprea
Insect
In a Nutshell
- Feeding holes in leaves.
- Brown larvae with conical bags.
Can also be found in
Banana
Symptoms
Larvae scrape chlorophyll from the leaves and later riddles with irregular holes. These holes are confined to isolated patches.
Recommendations
Organic Control
To this day we are not aware of any biological control method available against this pest. If you know of any successful method to reduce the incidence or the gravity of the symptoms, please contact us.
Chemical Control
Always consider an integrated approach with preventive measures together with biological treatments if available. To this day we are not aware of any chemical control method available against this pest. If you know of any successful method to reduce the incidence or the gravity of the symptoms, please contact us.
What caused it?
The damage is caused by the larvae of Kophene cuprea. The adult moth is brownish in color. Bag worms pass the winter as eggs (300 or more) inside bags that served as cocoons for the females in the previous year. When the eggs hatch, the larvae crawl out to feed. Each larvae uses silk and bits of plant material to make a small bag which serves as a camouflage during it's feeding and growth. The caterpillar of Bag worms feed for about six weeks, enlarging the bags as they grown and withdrawing into it when disturbed. Older larvae strip evergreens of their needles and devour whole leaves leaving only the larger veins. The brown larvae are covered in conical bags. In early fall, mature larvae attach their bag to twigs and transform into the pupa or resting stage before becoming an adult.
Preventive Measures
- Monitor your plants for feeding damages and larvae.
- Hand picking and destroying attached bags may provide satisfactory control if only a few trees or shrubs are infested.
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