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Butterfly Garden

Mystery Moth

8 years ago

My daughter gave me a potting bench for Christmas, and I just got around to building it recently. I built part of it, left it on the porch, then when I finished building it, I found a loose cocoon on the shelf. I'm not positive this cocoon was already in the box, but think it probably was, probably didn't come from a local caterpillar. I put the cocoon on the porch table where I have some cages to wait until I figured out what to do with it.

It emerged a few days ago, and I don't know what it is, doesn't look familiar. I hope it isn't some non-native, invasive type species! Anybody know what this is?

Sherry

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Comments (6)

Jacob Berg
8 years ago
It might be a gyspy moth.
javiwa
8 years ago
Until those in the know chime in, an image search yielded the Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth that looks similar (to this layperson, anyway!).

Did the cocoon look like these (described on one site as yellowish, silky)?
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The Logician LLC
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Not a Gypsy moth.

Likely the Eastern Tent, but possibly the more widespread Forest Tent, where did the potting bench kit originate?
MissSherry
Original Author
8 years ago
The cocoon looked similar to the one in javiwas's picture, but with less silk around it, at least when I found it - it may have originally had a lot of silk attaching it to something.

The potting bench was made by Gronomics in East Bethel, Minnesota. I'll start looking up moths, see if I can ID it.

Sherry
KC Clark - Zone 2012-6a OH
8 years ago
Considering it came from a cocoon, unless the bench is hiding another cocoon, you don't have to worry about spreading a pest since they need two to tango.
MissSherry
Original Author
8 years ago
Yes, that occurred to me, too, after I posted about it. But, after looking through moth pictures, I agree it's just an eastern tent caterpillar, which I see here all the time. The moths must be here, too, duh, I guess I just haven't noticed them. I did notice that the cocoon seemed big in relation to the size of the moth, and it left a big, obvious hole in the cocoon where it emerged. My promethea moths appear to have emerged without making a hole in their cocoons! I've kept ALL the cocoons, since I can't be sure one might not still have a pupa in it! :)

Sherry

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