Do you think it might be the larvae of a soldier fly?

The 'stinger' in this particular image is extra long; they are usually quite a bit smaller. Anyway, that's what came to my mind at first.

Here is a link that might be useful: Check this guy out!

Thank you, Rhizo, for searching. Unfortunatley that's not it. I'll have to dig the cocoon up and take a picture. I may keep it to see what transpires.

What I have looks to be a moth cocoon but a fine hair-like object protruding from the end.

It's such a thrill to find unusual things while gardening. I found a brilliant blue sow bug as well.

The other day I found a large pupa under my Rogue Willow and I brought it inside so I can see what it is when it comes out. It is very dark brown and I think it is probably a Cerisy's Sphinx moth because I saw some of the cats last summer on the willow. It may also be an Underwing moth although I think it is too large for that. I guess we will see.Murray

That will be interesting, Murray. I hope you post a picture of what emerges.

Edna

Could you give it's dimensions? I have some Tobacco budworm moths that are overwintering. When I put sticks in the dirt so they could dry their wings, I excavated 2(?) of the pupa, and they did have what looked like a thick hair coming out of the tail end. Here is a pic of one of those and a Cotton bollworm, and {{gwi:454700}} is a Cotton(?) bollworm pupa.
-Jmcat

As we speak the Cerisy's Sphinx Moth has emerged and has disappeared into the indoor pipe vine in my livingroom. The body is huge but the wings are still tiny so I guess it just now eclosed. I wish I had a camera but I promise to go high tech soon and get one. I wish you could see this. It is soooo exciting! I am 68 and I still get as excited about things like this as I did when I was a kid. I have been tip-toeing around and whispering to the dog just so I won' disturb the little person.

(I have been wanting to let you know that I have some vision problems like macular degeneration and glaucoma so if I sometimes manage to key in a word you don't recognize just assume it doesn't exist and pass over it.)

Murray

Jcat, looks just like your attached link pic's. The cocoon is approx 1". I'll post a picture this weekend. This is exciting.

Murray, God love you...my eyes are going on me too. How exciting your moth eclosed. I hope your able to find it :-)

Speaking of moths. We have a problem with apple moths in the Bay Area. I have a VERY large and old apple tree in my side yard. I hope my tree is not a carrier. If this is an apple moth I'm in big trouble.

Edna

Edna, the California Agriculture magazine had a GREAT set of articles on that little bugger; it should be available through the CA Dept of Ag website, with photos. Take a look...I don't think it is what you have; the LBAM webs into rolled leaves rather than being on the ground...

The apple "worms" I have seen barely have a caterpillar an inch long, much less the pupa. I guess there must be different kinds, though. It's probably some kind of bollworm or budworm, though maybe not exactly either of these. I seem to recall that when I dug up the TBM pupa, they did wiggle around a bit. Here's a TBM moth that emerged for me about 2 years ago:
{{gwi:454702}}

{{gwi:447661}}

-Jmcat

whoa...

whoa, is right. Great picture!

At first I thought the moth in the picture was a garden spade with a strange handle; so you see, no pun intended, what I mean about the eye situation. I did find the moth though, Edna and released it. I was hoping it would stay around but it didn't. A couple of years ago I found two mating in the backyard. They are beautiful moths when you get to see the underwing too. Murray

Thanks for the compliments!
-Jmcat