Subject: Moth larvae
Geographic location of the bug: Brunswick, Ga
Date: 03/13/2018
Time: 09:22 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: My daughter found a caterpillar in our yard that she put in her critter cage. Our rule is you cant keep it longer than 48 hrs, well it shed its skin and turned into a cocoon so we allowed her to keep it to watch it transform. That was early September and it’s still in cocoon, still alive. What kind is it? And when should it emerge
How you want your letter signed: Dani
Dear Dani,
Based on this BugGuide image, we believe this is the pupa of an Imperial Moth. If your critter cage is not indoors, you can expect an adult Imperial Moth to emerge when the weather begins to warm. Imperial Moths only live a few days, long enough to mate and for the female to lay eggs. They do not feed as adults. If a female emerges, she will attract a mate by releasing pheromones.