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A picture of a cacoon tribes.tribe.net/triviaroc...96fad870bd it comes from the DYI Tribe - but I posted it in the Trivia Tribe because the members often come up with answers on stuff like this,, but I thought I would bring it to the experts - being you guys !
Can you help ?
Can you help ?
posted by:
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Melbourne
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Wed, March 26, 2008 - 7:49 PMlooks like some kind of beetle larva...need a better close-up picture to know what species. -
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Wed, March 26, 2008 - 11:39 PMI will see if we can get one...
Many thanks.. -
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 2:36 AMSuggestions so far
tomato horn worm... (does not look right)
Powder post beetles ( not right I would say because it does not look like it..)
Clearwing moths (dont think so..)
American Hornet Moths ( dont think so.. )
Oh - and a great link is bugguide.net/node/view/6/bgimage -
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 7:42 AMI'm thinking the larvae itself looks like that of some sort of Scarab beetle. I dunno about the cocooon, though.
Tomato hornworms are bright green and have white streaks down their sides. And a "horn" on their butts.
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 10:51 AMhey, thanks to Bloke for helping me out on this. I'll see if I can post a larger pic, I have to see how clear it is to know if it will help. I mostly find the cocoon things, so I'll see if I have a good pic of that.
I had posted on that bugguide.com site: bugguide.net/node/view/174321
one guy who lives in the same city said he'd ask a friend who works at the UofA. -
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 11:15 AMhere are some more pics. right-click/control-click any of them to view them at 800-1000 pixels wide.
I wasn't using a tripod at the time, which was lazy, so the pics aren't as clear as they could be.
These pod/cocoon things are grippy -- they really hold onto the fabric fibers, making them very difficult to pull off or wash out. it's pretty much impossible to remove a whole cocoon if I find it (I have to just cut it out). The only reason I can remove the empty halves is that they're more dry and brittle.
empty shells (this is what I normally find):
entomologyfreaks.tribe.net/phot...3c753
entomologyfreaks.tribe.net/phot...0251a
close up of empty shells:
entomologyfreaks.tribe.net/phot...4a324
entomologyfreaks.tribe.net/phot...e57a1
pod/cocoon in use (this is how I found it):
the reason there is orange on the cocoon is that the cocoon was embedded into the fabric between the folds. when I opened the fabric some of the fibers stuck to the outside of the cocoon.
entomologyfreaks.tribe.net/phot...5c9c9
entomologyfreaks.tribe.net/phot...75302
developing thing inside it:
in hopes of getting a clearer picture I sliced open the pod/cocoon thing and placed what was left of the cocoon along with the worm thing inside onto a white tissue
entomologyfreaks.tribe.net/phot...b9572 -
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 11:53 AMHow big are those things? It would be good to get a handle on their size. That would make a difference. -
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 2:08 PMDulcinaya,
the cocoon things are about 1 inch long, about 3/8 inch wide. there's some more info here: bugguide.net/node/view/174321 and here if needed: do-it-yourself.tribe.net/threa...35a708
:) -
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Fri, March 28, 2008 - 1:46 PMI'd find one, put it in a jar and wait for it to hatch, but I'm old school.
I'd also go with beetle larvae.
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 8:55 PMIt looks like a moth, (Lepidoptera: Tineidae). yours has a characteristic red head of the clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella ) and the casings look familiar but distorted because of their attachment between fabric. have you noticed any adults around the house? sometimes the species are easier to identify with an adult than a pupa. -
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Fri, March 28, 2008 - 6:29 PMSean,
we have a HUGE moth problem here. Moths everywhere outside. and no matter how careful we are, they fly in when we open the door and I'm constantly having to bring them back outside. In the summer when it's worst I'll have to turn all the lights off, including the outside light, rush in through a crack in the door, then close the door before I can turn the lights on. But I can't say I've ever seen a moth resting on anything fabric. They're usually up by the ceiling or light fixtures. I'll look up the specific moth you mentioned to see if it looks like any we get inside. :)
Edubya,
unfortunately (well kinda) I usually only find the empty shells. I'll only find one or at most two of the whole cocoons a year. And because they're so fond of burrowing in between the folds of something I don't know they're there until I go to unfold it. They're impossible to remove from the fabric because the cocoon thing is embedded into it. So I'd have to cut around it and stick the fabric and cocoon in a jar I guess. :) How many holes do you have to poke in the lid to make sure it gets enough air to keep living? -
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Mon, March 31, 2008 - 8:28 PMEdubya,
Don't use a lid, If it's a moth they are not very aggressive at escaping. Keep the specimen as close to the natural temperature as possible. Rather than use a lid, stretch some panty hose over the jar, it will allow a good air exchange for hatching and maintain the temperature nature intended. I understand that these are creatures that quite likely will enjoy the hose meal, but it should keep it confined long enough to identify the adult. I would also try cutting the material with a cocoon in it and just watching it to see what happens, that is if you can find some article of clothing with a cocoon BEFORE ripping the cocoon that is attached to the folds.
I had horrible moth problems in VA, it was actually kinda humorous, I lived in an old farm house with no AC, so I would turn the lights off at night and work by the light of my computer monitor, it was much cooler that way but the moths were still attracted to the monitor light. Not willing to give up my computer, I worked through the night anyway, the light sweat on my skin was enough to stop the moths in their tracks, they are pretty clumsy flyers. So I guess one creative way to control them is with vigorous excersise and a single light. I caught about 20 per night on my chest and belly. ;-) -
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Re: Does anyone know what this is ?.
Mon, March 31, 2008 - 11:10 PM*L* at Sean with the moth solution there. and thanks for the suggestion re: pantyhose as a cover! great idea.
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