When I first saw this little marvel of nature, I was entranced by the cocoon the little creature had woven. Even with opposable thumbs, there’s no way I could produce such a thing.
I gently touched the fibres that made up the little casing: they were firm and wiry. Imagine the insect using the secretions from his/her own body to build this.
The next day, the creature had shed its skin, and it looked quite different.
There has been no change in the last couple of days. I’ll try to capture any other alterations, and share them with you.
Hello World 
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That little pupa has stalled at that stage of development, Caroline. He’s in my carport.
Gosh, what did you do for cooking while waiting for the utilities? Ciccheti a-go-go??
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Oh dear, I hope he’s alright. I think they can stay like that for months though, can’t they?
We’ve just had to eat out every night – it’s a hard life! But we have a nearby Ae Oche which is open late & have also developed a relationship with one of the restaurants on the calle leading up to us – where the spritzes are good & the biggest I’ve ever seen, absolutely enormous! (And the food is nice too :-))
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Oooh, you had me at “good & the biggest”. I do miss them, very much. 🙂 Spritz, that is.
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How beautiful! Is it on your terrazza?
We now have electricity and gas, cooker being connected as I type. (Evidently the previous tenant didn’t cook!)
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What a great find. He has just my kind of home, plenty of windows! 🙂
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And good ventilation for the tropics, tch …
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Definitely! Looks like you are enjoying yourself. Manny is eying your pictures with envy. He did have some warm weather here in Delaware today, though. 🙂
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Extraordinary, Yvonne!
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I’ve never seen such a neat cocoon, Steven, not even in Sant’Elena!
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Hurray! My ability to “like” is back.
But that darned Alien picture still won’t open for me. Ah, some is better than none.
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Glad you explained what the picture was because although I can see there is supposed to be one there…it won’t open for me.
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It should be back now, Michelle.
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I have to agree with Bert, that creature does look like an alien! But the cage is incredible, a work of art! Crossing my fingers you get to see it all Yvonne!
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It’s such a unique design, isn’t it.
Darn, I see my photo (of Sigourney Weaver) in my reply to Ralph has disappeared. I’ve put her back, let’s see if she’ll stay there!
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Wow that’s amazing! Great photos, I look forward to seeing what happens next! 😀
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I keep trotting out to look, but it’ll probably be another week or so.
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I am waiting with bated breath! 😀
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That is an amazing work of art. I thought the fibers were Minx’s fur! Keep us apprised of the progress!
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I certainly shall, Susie.
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Can’t wait to see the end result. What a capture
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I’ll be so ticked off if I don’t see the critter emerge from the pupal stage, Pat. I’ve been reading about how they get out of the cocoon, quite amazing:
Insects that pupate in a cocoon must escape from it, and they do this either by the pupa cutting its way out, or by secreting fluids, sometimes called cocoonase, that soften the cocoon. Some cocoons are constructed with built-in lines of weakness along which they will tear easily from inside, or with exit holes that only allow a one-way passage out; such features facilitate the escape of the adult insect after it emerges from the pupal skin.
I think this cocoon has a one way passage at the bottom.
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What a wealth of information.
The Woodland Park Zoo here in Seattle had a butterfly house for several years with an exhibit of different cocoons. Some of them were so beautiful that they could have been jewelry. They got their butterflies in that form and placed them on exhibit so you could watch them come out. It was really amazing to watch nature follow it’s course. As you were leaving the exhibit they had someone with a feather duster to make sure you didn’t have any “hitchhikers.
That will probably be some type of tiny moth based on the size. Do you have a local “master garden” society or even one of the agencies who work with agriculture can probably identify it from your pictures.
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Don’t touch it Yvonne …… it’s an Alien !! 😉 Ralph xox ❤
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Too late, Ralph, and I hope this movie doesn’t have the same ending as “that one”. Gurgle.
oxo ❤
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Oh dear !! Bye !! I may see you again in a Galaxy, Far, Far Away ❤
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I’ll look something like this, Ralph:
Well WordPress isn’t playing nice today: that’s a photo of Sigourney Weaver, ralph. 🙂
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Miracle indeed! I await the resurrection! Do you know what kind of moth or butterfly it is?
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I have no idea. The pupa is quite small, I’ll go and measure it, right now!
It’s just over one cm (not quite 1/2 an inch), and the cocoon is about 3cm in length. I guess it would be called a cocoon, even if it looks nothing like the ones we’re more used to seeing.
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Wow what great photos your an artist
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Thank you, Joanne. 🙂
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What a gorgeous work of art!!! Can’t wait to see what happens next!!!
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That little cage is a tiny work of art, Linda. Just a second, I’ll go and check it right now. No, all is quiet!
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