Sunday, August 2, 2009

Cocooning






I found an interesting-looking cocoon while working the yard today. Since I'd found and kept another earlier this year, now that I have two I guess I've started a collection. Best guess is that the one with the elongated opening belongs to a polyphemus moth, the big ones with eye spots on their wings. Who knew they're named for Cyclops Polyphemus, the one-eyed giant of Greek mythology. You can see why. The other, with the small hole, I'm not sure about. Whatever made it just wrapped a leaf into it. Both were on the ground at the base of different oak trees. I hung them in my tomato plant to take these pictures, just so there'd be some green.

3 comments:

  1. Lovely! Really lovely!

    And now this makes me think of the odd bag like birds nest I kept in my freezer in a plastic bag for a year. Don't ask. I finally did take it out because I was worried I'd die and they'd find the nest and the next thing you know they'd be tearing up the floor boards hunting for bodies.

    Now if I could just figure out how to display this wonderfully odd nest. But not back in the freezer. How do you normally display the cocoons?

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  2. The first one I suspended from the arced handle of a teapot on the mantel. Now with two I guess they'll go to the "cabinet of wonders" that is the top of my dresser.

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  3. Hmmmmm...all good places. I'll still need to ponder where to put the nest. It's about 9 inches long so requires some serious hanging space.

    Love the idea of the cocoon hanging on the teapot.

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