Question
Jim I have about 40 acres of long needle pines.  The bugs are killing quite a few trees, so what kind of chemicals can I use to get rid of them and should I plant trees in the same location?  A large percentage of trees have been affected, so what can I do to save the rest?

Answer
There are several options for control of bagworms. If the trees are not too tall you can spray the foliage with an insecticide like orthene and this will kill the caterpillars as they move around the tree. OR if the trees are small you can hand pick the bags and destroy the bags. For large trees that can not be sprayed I would treat the tree with Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insect control. This is applied to the soil around the tree and the roots will carry it to the foliage and when the caterpillar feeds they are killed. The treatment will prevent attack for the growing season. You should wait until spring since this time of the year the trees are beginning to shut down for the winter and have almost stopped moving water up from the roots. Next spring there will be a fast movement of water up and this will carry the insecticide with it. Here is a web link to this product--check with your local garden type store for it. http://www.bayeradvanced.com/tree-shrub-care/products/12-month-tree-shrub-insect...