What's eating my bald cypress bonsai 'cascade'?

Bald Cypress bonsai (Taxodium distichum 'Cascade Falls') is a tough, largely pest-resistant conifer. Kept outdoors or on a humid bench, it can attract cypress aphids, spider mites in dry conditions, and bagworms. Spider mites are the most troublesome pest under bonsai culture stress, causing needle bronzing.

Needles turn bronze or yellowish with fine webbing; most severe on trees kept in warm, dry, low-humidity spots Mist foliage regularly to raise humidity; spray with miticide or diluted neem oil, covering all needle surfaces; repeat at 5–7 day intervals

Large grey-brown aphids cluster on bark and branch bases; produce honeydew and cause yellowing or dieback of affected shoots Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; encourage natural predators such as ladybirds; use a systemic insecticide for severe infestations

Spindle-shaped silk and needle cases hang from branches; caterpillars inside defoliate shoot tips and reduce vigour Hand-pick and destroy bags in late autumn through early spring before eggs hatch; spray with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in early summer when larvae are tiny