What's eating my bald cypress?

Bald Cypress faces its biggest threat from cypress tip moths and spider mites. Bagworms, aphids, and spider mites are the most common culprits, while deer may browse young foliage. Good air circulation and irrigation management keep most pest pressure manageable on established trees.

Silken bags hanging from branches, foliage stripped from branch tips as larvae feed inside the bag Hand-pick and destroy bags in fall/winter; apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) or spinosad in late spring when larvae are young

Fine stippling and bronzing of foliage, fine webbing on needles — worse in hot, dry summers Spray forcefully with water to dislodge; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; improve humidity around trees

Sticky honeydew on bark and foliage, sooty mold, distorted new growth on young trees Knock off with a strong water jet; introduce ladybugs; use insecticidal soap for heavy infestations

Browning and die-back of shoot tips as larvae mine inside young growth Prune and dispose of affected tips before adults emerge; apply permethrin or bifenthrin to tips in early spring