bagworm

[ bag-wurm ]

noun

1. any moth of the family Psychidae in its caterpillar phase, in which it wraps itself in a bag of silk, leaves, etc.

bagworm

/ ˈbæɡˌwɜːm /

noun

1. the larva of moths of the family Psychidae , which forms a protective case of silk covered with grass, leaves, etc
2. bagworm moth
   any moth of the family Psychidae

Word History and Origins

Origin of bagworm¹

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65; bag + worm

Example Sentences

He was referring to the larvae of the bagworm moth that grow and feed on trees.

From Reuters

More immediately, cast an eye on your needled evergreens for a more pernicious and furtive insect named the bagworm.

From Washington Post

They considered five species to be dangerous, and they took one—a bagworm moth—back to Europe to study its appetite for broadleaved trees.

From Science Magazine

Clockwise from top left, sweetgum balls; a red admiral butterfly; a twig teepee that houses the pupa of bagworm moth; and maple eyespot gall, created by midge fly  larvae after they hatch.

From New York Times

We find a tiny teepee constructed of twigs on the underside of a leaf, home to an immature caterpillar of a bagworm moth.

From New York Times