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Photo#401624
Eastern Tent Caterpillar - cocoon - Malacosoma americana

Eastern Tent Caterpillar - cocoon - Malacosoma americana
Cross Plains, Dane County, Wisconsin, USA
May 27, 2010
This year is a boom year for these caterpillars. They're everywhere! Some of the trees in the area are just a mass of leafless tents. I kept one of the caterpillars in a container for a few days giving it oak leaves to eat since I found this one in an oak tree. Today when I checked the container I found this cocoon. Wonder how long it will take for the moth to emerge?

I can't speak for the Eastern version,
but the Forrest Tent Caterpillar I collected and posted pupated on April 23rd and emerged on May 18th. These are interesting as individuals but kind of creepy in a crowd!

 
cocoon
Well that gives me an idea of how long it takes. Yes, these caterpillars are pretty but it is kind of disconcerting to see so many of them around.

 
I'm sorry--
I need to go to bed. It emerged on May 11th. I was thinking, "18 days..."