What's This Thing?

[MrPitseleh]

I've found three of these things while looking for ooths and stuff. They look like cocoons but with little tiny sticks and leave bits stuck to the sides. The smallest I've seen was only a centimeter and the biggest was 1 2/3 of an inch long. I'm sure they're probably pretty common but I simply have noticed any sense I never looked before. Just curious as to what they are.

 

[massaman]

think its a kind of worm nest or something

 

[Seattle79]

It is an Alien pod!

 

[lancaster1313]

It looks like a cocoon. I am pretty sure a moth will come out of it. I have small ones all over my yard.

 

[brancsikia]

Bagworm moth, family Psychidae.

 

[MrPitseleh]

Bagworm moth, family Psychidae.

Thanks dude. Now that I know it's not some crazy dangerous hornet I'm gonna grab one and hang it from the top of my mantids Enclosure and when it comes out it's lunch time. :lol:

 

[PhilinYuma]

Thanks dude. Now that I know it's not some crazy dangerous hornet I'm gonna grab one and hang it from the top of my mantids Enclosure and when it comes out it's lunch time. :lol:

Only if it's a male! I recently mentioned that when a mantid's new skin has formed under the old one, it is "pharate". Bag worm females take this to a whole different level! The female pupates but the formed adult moth never emerges from the pupa and the male mates with her while she is still in her cocoon. After the eggs are laid, she dies, still in the cocoon.

 

[sporeworld]

Wow! Nice ID.

And what a good read - remarkable little critter...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagworm_moth