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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Moths » Bombycoidea » Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths (Saturniidae)
Photo#111922
moth cocoon? but which moth??
Copyright © 2007 forsythsh

moth cocoon? but which moth??
Canning, Annapolis Valley-Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada
May 21, 2007
Size: about 10 cm
My husband found this cocoon at the top of a crabapple tree for my early elementary class to observe...we are hoping to see a beautiful creature emerge...we are wondering what it might be and if anyone could tell us when the glorious event might occur. Also, we need to know how to care for this cocoon and what nourishment to have available when the inhabitant emerges...at which point we will promptly (that evening) release it :) The cocoon is quite hard and there is a tiny hole in the side and the end...it is brownish black and probably as big around as a loonie.
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Contributed by forsythsh on 22 May, 2007 - 10:05pm
Last updated 26 July, 2007 - 11:37pm

Moved
Moved from Butterflies and Moths.
… john and jane balaban, 26 July, 2007 - 11:37pm login or register to post comments

Cecropia cocoon, but it looks
Cecropia cocoon, but it looks to already have hatched.
… Dennis Profant, 23 May, 2007 - 5:16pm login or register to post comments

 
already hatched??
How can you tell that it has already 'hatched'? Is it because the ends aren't attached to the branch? Would the moth emerge from one of the ends? What is the little hole on the side for...air?? I hope it's still in there...what a fascinating event for my class to be fortunate enough to observe if it is! I plan to release it the evening of the day it comes out. How long should I give it before assuming that you are indeed correct and break it to my students? The cocoon itself is fascinating to look at.
… forsythsh, 23 May, 2007 - 8:09pm login or register to post comments

 
The moth would emerge from th
The moth would emerge from the top end. Where you see the three points it appears to show an opening. That's usually a sign it has come out. I wouldn't hold it more than a couple more weeks to be sure. The species doesn't make little holes for air. That may be a result of a parasite, or something else utilizing the cocoon itself to hatch from.
… Dennis Profant, 24 May, 2007 - 10:23pm login or register to post comments

...
Just so everyone is clear, a "loonie" is what we Canadians call our dollar coin. It is 2.65cm in diameter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loonie.
… Sean McCann, 22 May, 2007 - 10:58pm login or register to post comments

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