When it twitched, my first thought was "Ack! The twig moved!" But if you look right at the top of it, you'll see it's the caterpillar of a bagworm moth and it's wearing a bag of twigs. Talk about camouflage!
It was about 1.5cm (0.6in) long. The bagworm constructs its portable home with silk, twigs, leaves and bits of bark. As it grows, it makes a bigger bag. Eventually, it pupates inside the bag.
Don't think the bagworm doesn't have hygiene concerns though. It leaves an opening at the bottom of the bag, so that it can excrete waste material through it.
ewwww........i wonder if this is the same thing that we call bagworm? they build nests in trees and eventually kill the tree. i think maybe it's not the same.
@paulaag From what I've read, bagworms can cause a lot of damage because they consume foliage. One female bagworm can lay 400-1000 eggs at once. So an infested tree may not survive once the caterpillars start eating.
AMAZING!! A portable home ... with built in "plumbing!" Awesome capture and equally great info., Livia. You are showing us the "world of tiny wonders!"
Wow, what a fantastic capture, Livia. So interesting what you wrote about this bagworm. I have never seen anything like this before and so tiny. Well done. FAV
I'm no longer surprised by the clarity and composition of your photos, they are a given, the detection and explanation of the insects make me look for your entry each day. FAV
When I look at your calendar I know I've missed a lot of picture viewing and commenting due to my being sick. will make up for it when I can.
this looks like a real interesting picturre. yes I first thought it was a twig alright.. be happy you spotted it.
A great, big, twig-free, not-stealthy-at-all, discovery-prone and fun-filled "THANK YOU!" to all! It's so strange, isn't it? Living in a bag, having to lug it around everywhere, it looks kind of inconvenient. Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to stop by. I appreciate your comments very much. Thank you! 8)
this looks like a real interesting picturre. yes I first thought it was a twig alright.. be happy you spotted it.