If I walk under a tree at this time of year, I sometimes see little green maggot looking creatures. Each one is dangling from a single thread. What are they?
If I walk under a tree at this time of year, I sometimes see little green maggot looking creatures. Each one is dangling from a single thread. What are they?
I thought they might be. Why on earth do they hang on a thread and not sit on a leaf?
Because they are heading for the ground - sort of abseiling - they will pupate in the soil
Madelaine
4 shops for Cats Protection & Prospect Hospice
My Postcard Shop
BK Stamps for Philatelic listings
& Yarnalong for craft patterns
and
Lotzabitz -anything that doesn't belong in one of the other shops.
Our parent birds fed a ton of them to the babies this spring.
Ta-Ta for now!
HerMajesty
Slide Inn for Vintage 35mm photographic slides
https://uk.ebid.net/stores/Slide-Inn
ALSO!! Click below to see my store, THE BEE'S KNEES!
https://the-bees-knees.ebid.net
Hi Merking,
these are usually Tortrix moth caterpillars. They sew one or two leaves together with sticky thread for protection. They can then chew away at the leaves without being seen by by birds, ants or wasps. If they are found their second line of defense is to jump, the thread suspends them in mid-air where they are more difficult to find and eat. They eventually climb back up the thread when they feel safe again.
---------- * ---------- * ---------- * ---------- ---------- * ---------- * ---------- * ---------- * ----------
http://uk.ebid.net/users/theElench
You need chickens for those
I remember everything, even what happened tomorrow.
games4mac ~ DragonsRest ~ DragonsRest Lounge ~ Windfall
Meet my avatar: Qu the engineer and enchanter. Who else could invent the armour piercing rabbit (can dig holes through anything) and the duck gun (fires rubber ducks)?
Join me on eBid here.
God bless eBid and all who sale in her!
The caterpillars can also give you a nasty rash. I speak from experience
Tortrix Moth Caterpillars. Thanks TheElench.
What about these birds I see in all the local parks?
Last edited by Merking; 23rd July 2017 at 02:18 PM.
Whatever they are they are escapers! Not native.
Madelaine
4 shops for Cats Protection & Prospect Hospice
My Postcard Shop
BK Stamps for Philatelic listings
& Yarnalong for craft patterns
and
Lotzabitz -anything that doesn't belong in one of the other shops.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)