What is it Wednesday archive: November 6, 2019

Can you identify what's in this photo?

Each Wednesday morning 

on Camp Lutherlyn's Facebook page

 the Lutherlyn Environmental Education Program posts a photo. 

Readers have all morning and afternoon 

to make their best guess about what the photo is. 

Around 6 pm LEEP provides the answer and a brief explanation.

Each week's What is it Wednesday post 

will also be posted on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

 after it is posted on Facebook,

sometimes with additional bonus information. 

In addition to bringing you current editions of What is it Wednesday 

on the Nature of Lutherlyn blog, 

we will be reposting old editions,

creating a What is it Wednesday archive. 

This photo was posted as a What is it Wednesday on

November 6, 2019.

And the answer is....

This is the case of an evergreen bagworm moth. 

Each bagworm moth caterpillar begins to create a case from the vegetation around it soon after it hatches, and can move short distances while inside the case. In this stage the case provides a camouflaged habitat for the caterpillars.

When the caterpillar is ready to pupate, it spins silk to attach the case to a twig and seals the case shut – it is now the cocoon where the caterpillar will transform into an adult moth. 

After metamorphosis, adult male evergreen bagworm moths emerge as a small fuzzy black moth with transparent wings and feathery antennae. Female evergreen bagworm moths, however, remain inside their cases after metamorphosis. They continue to resemble caterpillars, with no wings or antennae and very small legs. When a female emits a pheromone, a male will extend its abdomen inside the female’s case to mate. The female stays inside the case after the eggs are fertilized and eventually dies there. The following spring the eggs hatch and the new larvae emerge from the case, to begin creating their own new cases.

The cases seen here were photographed in October, so likely are either empty (a male moth has left it behind after emerging) or hold eggs. Bagworm caterpillars do eat the plants they live on, so we will pick these cases off to prevent damage to this pine tree, and check the trees around it as well. In some places bagworm infestations can cause serious damage to host plants, but here in Pennsylvania they are usually a minor nuisance.

For more on how LEEP can help you identify the unusual things you find in nature and how to care for your natural surroundings, through school field trips, summer camp, Saturday safaris, special events, and more, check out www.lutherlyn.com/ee. 

Like and follow Camp Lutherlyn on Facebook, to see What is it Wednesday posts when they come out and have the opportunity to share your guesses in the comments!