Subject: Unidentifiable Bug
Location: Gillespie County Texas
August 2, 2017 6:15 pm
We located this bug hanging on a vertical metal fence column in the Texas hill country west of Austin (Gillespie County). It’s mouth was very firmly attached. It does not appear to be a cocoon. The spines are dark brown and Woody in appearance. It is 3″ long and 1″ wide at its broadest point. Found in July.
Signature: M. Reynolds
Dear M. Reynolds,
This is a Bagworm, the caterpillar of a moth in the family Psychidae. Bagworms construct protective covers from silk and bits of the plants upon which they are feeding and they eventually pupate inside the bag which becomes the cocoon.