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Project Noah Nature School
Oiketicus cf. kirbyi
The entire structure was around 10cm long, and attached to the branch by silk. The caterpillar opened the top to eat, then retreated, closing the lid behind it when Manuel got close to take photos. Unfortunately it was spotted while traveling, so we don't know if he caught it sneaking out for its last meal... or if this is a Costa Rican solitary tent caterpillar... Either way, if anyone can help us ID so we can work out what was going on, we'd very much appreciate it!
Thank you so much Bayucca - in looking for more information on the species (and disappointed to find the majority of info is how to kill them), I found photos of the "bag" of another species, that I think Manuel has recently taken photos of. Now to troll through the 1000's and see if I can find them!
Psychidae, Oiketicini, Oiketicus sp. and looks like being Oiketicus kirbyi, a serious pest in Costa Rica (and elsewhere). This is either the caterpillar or the adult wingless female, which does not leave the bag, but leave there, lay its eggs in the bag, drop of the bag to die.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominikhofe...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominikhofe...
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2010/04/08/m...
http://citebank.org/de/node/150368
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/es...
Spotted on Jan 30, 2014
Submitted on Feb 7, 2014
+1
