Diptera.info

Posted by bonitin on 29-12-2010 15:46

Hi,
I would like to know who is the creator of this artful basket around its empty crysalis or pupa?
I found it in a shady place glued under a large leaf, on the banks of a river in a rainforest of Paraty-Brazil in February this year.
Anyone has an idea and is it from a moth or maybe butterfly?
Thank you!
Myriam :)

Posted by Sara21392 on 29-12-2010 20:21

That's so pretty and Indicate the creator of beauty :D, We know that usually Moths have cocoon but Butterflies don't have it and we say they are Chrysalid and instead have cremaster to stick to things, I think it was moth...:)

Posted by bonitin on 29-12-2010 20:47

Thanks Ruud and Sara!
I was also astonished Sara by the cheir beauty of it!:)

Posted by Cesa on 29-12-2010 21:54

Caterpillars of some Arctiidae perhaps also Ctenuchidae among moths prepare similar basket like cocoon. We reared an arctiid Cyana coccinea from Thailand. Attached basket like cocoon from Thailand has some similarity with that of the species of Brazil. Just for comparison, nothing more.

Edited by Cesa on 29-12-2010 21:56

Posted by bonitin on 29-12-2010 22:14

Thanks Cesa for sharing your photo!
It has a lot in common with my Brazilian, very interesting!:)

Posted by Sara21392 on 29-12-2010 22:27

Sorry, I have a question!!
Would you please tell me: Is this the cocoon always too larger than pupa??
Thank you very much :)

Posted by Cesa on 29-12-2010 23:22

Logically cocoon must be larger than pupa, because (1) cocoon was made by a big caterpillar placed previously inside of it; (2) after completing cocoon, full grown caterpillar turn into chrysalis and its body size reduced greatly during metamorphosis.

Posted by bonitin on 30-12-2010 11:29

Very interesting, Cesa!
Do you also know what the material is, used for making the cocoon? Specially in your photo it looks like very fine hairs or dark silk threads, mine look more coarse like plant fibers, I suppose in both cases it is produced by the caterpillar itself?

Edited by bonitin on 30-12-2010 11:29

Posted by Cesa on 30-12-2010 18:14

#10

In our example, caterpillar prepared that cocoon by using the hairs of his body. In other words, the cocoon material (dark hairs) seen in the picture, are not silky fibers produced by the salivary glands of the caterpillars, but the body hairs of the caterpillar.
On the other hand, chemical formula of the silky fibers produced by caterpillar is unknown to me, but it should not be a surprise, if it differs from species to species or from genus to genus, when researched.