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larose forest photos | all galleries >> INSECTS (INSECTA) (28 Galleries) >> Moth Caterpillars >> Tiger and Lichen Moths (Family: Erebidae; Subfamily: Arctiinae) 8090 - 8262 >> Virginia Ctenucha Moth Caterpillars (Ctenucha virginiana) 8262 > Virginia Ctenucha moth caterpillar making a cocoon
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18-MAY-2010 Christine Hanrahan

Virginia Ctenucha moth caterpillar making a cocoon

I found several Ctenucha moths making their hairy, yellowish cocoons on the undersides of leaves at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden. It was the first time I'd seen them in midst of this process. Usually I see the finished cocoon. The caterpillar makes this cocoon by pulling out tufts of its own "hair" and slowly and labouriously placing them around itself to build this cocoon. It can take many hours of slow work to create this. Pretty amazing!

For a montage of this species at different stages: http://www.pbase.com/laroseforest/image/131498848

Canon PowerShot SX10 IS
1/160s f/5.6 at 5.0mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
Laurie Hawkins 25-Aug-2011 20:29
Amazing find and photo.
slhoornstra04-Mar-2011 06:15
An excellent macro of this truly fascinating activity, wow! BV
janescottcumming28-Feb-2011 01:17
Amazing find and a great shot of it! Do you know how long it takes them to complete the cocoon? ~V~
Hank Vander Velde27-Feb-2011 13:40
Fantastic find and nice tack-sharp image Christine.
Stephanie27-Feb-2011 12:14
This is amazing!!! I'm with Ann, how do they make the "hairs"? V
Cindi Smith27-Feb-2011 05:33
It looks like a slipper to me.....very, very cool!
Ann Pettigrew27-Feb-2011 05:19
Great find, Christine! How do you suppose they make the "hairs?"
Margot W27-Feb-2011 04:33
Something I have never seen. Thanks for showing it.
Excellent macro. Look at the details in the leaf and each of those spines.
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