Bagmoth

Description:

"The Psychidae (bagworm moths, also simply bagworms or bagmoths) are a family of moths the males of which have thinly scaled or nearly transparent wings while the females are wingless and wormlike. A bagworm begins to build its case as soon as it hatches. Once the case is built, only adult males ever leave the case, never to return, when they take flight to find a mate. Bagworms add material to the front of the case as they grow, excreting waste materials through the opening in the back of the case. When satiated with leaves, a bagworm caterpillar secures its case and pupates. The adult female either emerges from the case long enough for breeding or remains in the case while the male extends his abdomen into the female's case to breed. Females lay their eggs in their case and die." Since I know absolutely nothing about Bagmoths other than what I have read in Philippine Lepidoptera, I felt it would be safer to quote their article verbatim rather than try to select snippets ad hoc. Philep have already condensed, very successfully, the main points from Wikipedia and for me to rehash this would be pointless. Thank you, Philep and Wiki.

Habitat:

This Psychidae sp. was spotted in our back yard suspended from a leaf of an unidentified shrub.

Notes:

As far as I can see, neither Wikipedia nor Philippine Lepidoptera offer any information on how the bagmoth attaches itself to its anchorage for the pupation period. Wikipedia mentions an "attachment substance" and says that it is very strong. Philippine Lepidoptera says the "Bagworm caterpillar secures its case and pupates" I imagine this indicates that the detail of the attachment is of little importance. I mention it only because when I was taking my photos, the wind was causing the Bagmoth to whip around violently and the thought occurred to me that the attachment must indeed be very strong.