As a polyphagous pest species, the larvae of M. corbetti attack the leaves of plants of about 37 genera in 20 families, with their preferred host families being 'Fabaceae' (to which legume species belong) and 'Arecaceae' (to which the oil palm species belong) [4].

• The larva of M. corbetti attack the leaves in a destructive manner and the resulting defoliation
• The leaves turn yellowish in color and fall down upon their death [2]
• The early instars of M. corbetti use their mandibles to scrape on the surface of the leaf and produces holes which cause the leaf to change color and fall prematurely
• The leaf tissue also undergoes necrosis and skeletonisation happens due to scrapping.
• When the instars become larger, they start cutting the leaf and start chewing the leaf from the margins, causing scarring.

Because the larvae of M. corbetti are most active as pests during bright sunlight, this species thrives in areas that get a lot of natural sunlight and heat.[2].

• The M. corbetti is controlled by natural enemies, which vary from palm to palm. In East Malaysia, six species of hymenopterous parasitoids (including Braconidae, Ichneumonidae, and Eulophidae) and five species of dipterous parasitoids (all Tachinidae) are natural predators of this species.
• In Singapore, the cleric beetle (Callimeris bellus) is a larval predator of M. corbetti.[4]
• Although Bt sprays are the current mode of treatment for M. corbetti control, the chemical treatments are ineffective after bagworm larvae have metamorphosed to the pupal stage [3]