Larry Sherertz of Hayes sent along this “red alert” for homeowners with trees in the spruce family. “I noticed some of the branch tips (of his tree) barren of needles. A closer inspection showed an invasion of bag worms,” he said. “This seems to have happened overnight.” If left unchecked, these pests will eat their way through your beautiful spruce trees, according to Sherertz. He suggested picking them off the branches and putting them in a screw-top container with soap and water. “I collected 30 of these camouflaged cocoons in just 10 minutes. You can dispose of them in a few days. Spraying your tree with an insect deterrent such as Sevin may discourage these critters from eating your spruce. If you don’t catch them early you could wind up with a Charlie Brown Christmas tree,” he said.
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