bagworm

noun

bag·​worm ˈbag-ˌwərm How to pronounce bagworm (audio)
: any of a family (Psychidae) of moths with wingless females and plant-feeding larvae that live in a silk case covered with plant debris
especially : one (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) often destructive to deciduous and evergreen trees of the eastern U.S.

Examples of bagworm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web If the bags remain on the plant, new bagworms will hatch out and resume the feeding their parents started. Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 2 Mar. 2024 More immediately, cast an eye on your needled evergreens for a more pernicious and furtive insect named the bagworm. Washington Post, 7 July 2021 But to entomologists, the delicate homes of the bagworm are a marvel. Jennifer Walter, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2019 Not quite — what may look like a meticulous assortment of twigs is actually the home of a bagworm moth. Jennifer Walter, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2019 When treating plants, do so early in the bagworm’s development, because older larvae aren’t as vulnerable to Bt and different pesticides may be needed. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 2 June 2022 Unfortunately, evergreen areas killed by bagworms do not regrow. Ellen Nibali, baltimoresun.com, 4 Sep. 2019 The ideal time to spray for bagworm control is the first and second week of June with Malathion. Dick Crum, Indianapolis Star, 11 Aug. 2017 Subject to spider mites and occasionally bagworms, but both are easily stopped. Neil Sperry, star-telegram.com, 16 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bagworm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bagworm was in 1811

Dictionary Entries Near bagworm

Cite this Entry

“Bagworm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bagworm. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bagworm

noun
bag·​worm ˈbag-ˌwərm How to pronounce bagworm (audio)
: a moth that as a larva lives in a silk case covered with plant debris and is often destructive to the leaves of plants
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!