A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Family: Tortricidae
Stitched leaves, fresh or dry, forming a slightly convex nest? Stitching done in separate tufts each about 10mm long with approx. 8mm gaps; some tiny creatures inside
On a young supple plant 3metres high (searching) within tall eucalyptus forest.
There's a good chance these were created by a Leaf Roller or Bell moth; maybe from the family Tortricidae.... http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_... The leaves of the host plant were slightly similar to lilly-pilly (syzigium, acmena) leaves. Small caterpillars inside?
Spotted on Jan 28, 2012
Submitted on Jan 28, 2012
4 Comments
How wonderful! Never seen anything like this before!
Thanks craig. The stitches are sort of interesting from an engineering perspective I think... possibly very efficient use of silk.
Great series! I'm so used to Tortrix moth caterpillars tenting themselves in around plants apical buds and often making a right nuisance of the themselves that it can be hard to appreciate just what a great defense strategy this is. These ones are charming too, like a child learning to sew!
I suggest a moth caterpillar. Even though the stitching is from the outside, the caterpillar can skeletenize the leaf from inside its protective cover and keep eating for days. One clue apart from seeing leaf joining by moths before is the frass in pic #1 http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/783...