Those cocoons are those of the destructive bagworm. Bagworms feed on most trees and shrubs, but their preferred food is any kind of evergreens, spruces, pines, etc. Unlike the defoliation of deciduous plants, evergreens cannot recover from defoliation such as this.
Best to spray bagworms with any kind of soapy water or Bt stuff. This is one of only a precious few species of moths I can't stand and for due reasons.

If you have just a few, I usually just hand pick them, carry them to the driveway and stomp on them! Better than using chemicals! I know BT is an organic, but I can't use any of that stuff if I want butterflies and their larvae.

Susan

This is why I suggested the soap water and applied just locally to kill only the bagworms. I can't use Bt because I have way too many host plants in my yard in many different spots just like you, Susan.

Susan,
As I read your post, a picture of you killing bad bugs in your driveway arose in my brain.
This was quickly followed by a picture of a combination pow wow and stomp dance going on in your drive.
Come to think of it . . .
Could bug killing be the origin of some dances?
Interesting thought!
LOL

Maybe it's called bug-stepping as opposed to goose-stepping?

Thank you so much. I've picked every one of those buggers I could find...but neglected to do the driveway dance. If they re-appear, then I can promise you I will be doing the stomp dance.
I'll try the soap spray today. Definitely am not a fan of bad chemicals.

Tim

Redlight, just remember one thing about hand-picking. It is effective only to control them after they're large enough to readily find. However, the real danger in bagworms, is the few not found and plucked off. The wingless female never even leaves her cocoon! She is mated through the opening on the bottom of the sac. She becomes an egg mass from which 1,000 or so hatchlings can emerge! The soapy water will kill all of them if the bush is fully drenched. I'm glad you don't use the toxic chemicals. This way, no other bugs or wildlife is harmed.

Except for that second summer after I moved into my house, I think it was 2000, I haven't had any more problems with the bagworms on my cedar shrubs. I check them quite often, just in case. I'd love to have them removed, but it looks like someone tried to remove part of them, because there are old stumps that were under my wood porch, that were exposed after I removed it. I think these things are tougher than nails.

Had to pull some more yellow buds off the hibiscus today, and deadhead the Texas Red (which is a daily job). I planted my two red pentas, a lantana 'Irene', tecoma, and butterfly bush (B. davidii x nanohensis 'Nanho Blue'). I'm work so hard to attract the butterflies that must be churning a new path north this year. I did order 3 butterfly houses (2' mesh enclosures) today (I call them my butterfly birthing centers).

TW - how do you just KNOW all this stuff? Simply amazing. I thought I was reasonably intellient, until you came along, and put my butterfly to shame! LOL.

Susan

What do bag worms look like. I have a droopy type of pine shrub or tree that has an infestation of little flat bugs with long legs. I initially thought they were baby spiders. The needles have turned brown on some parts and I cut them away. I have noticed ants traveling up the same shrub. Are they comingling or are they eating the smaller bugs. There is sap oozing from the tree. Is this the correct time of year for that to occur? What are these bugs and ants doing to the tree. Can you advise?
Coneheads1@optonline.net

TomatoWorm, you're amazing. I never knew that about the female bagworm.

Dad used to pay us by the quart to pick them off the junipers.

Can someone please give me the mixture for the soap spray to be used in controlling these bagworms? Also, its June 25th now. We have found some Thuja trees of ours (advertised to be pest resistant) loaded with bagworms. Is there a good insecticide to use? Thanks.