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Bagworm

Eumeta sp.

Description:

It looks like a series of twigs cemented together with leafy debris as it hangs from under a leaf but it is the safe home of the bagworm moth. It is large; quite bulky. There were about 7 or 8 and one was very bulky; twice the normal size, as you can see in photos 3 and 4. I wonder if it is actually two cases fused together (i.e., if such a thing can happen...like conjoined twins.) The last one is small in size...it will grow. In the second photo you can see the droppings adhering to the longest twig; never see that before!

Habitat:

The hibiscus plant in my garden. I saw lots of caterpillar droppings under the plant and investigated to see this infestation. Today 23 March a group of Jungle babblers descended on the semi defoliated hibiscus and flew away with the cases....they threw the cases on the ground, ripped those open with their beaks...and well, had a good breakfast I think. The case does not keep them as safe as they thought it would.

Notes:

I remember reading that one stick being longer than all the others which are uniform in length (more or less) is diagnostic of an Indian bagworm moth. https://www.researchgate.net/publication...

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2 Comments

SukanyaDatta
SukanyaDatta 3 years ago

Thanks, Mark. So it is!

SukanyaDatta
Spotted by
SukanyaDatta

Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Spotted on Mar 3, 2021
Submitted on Mar 7, 2021

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