I found this and was wondering if it will turn into a butterfly or something different? Can anyone help me out.
What is this?
Had one of those identified once. It is a bagworm....not a good thing.
http://woodypests.cas.psu.edu/factsheets/InsectFactSheets/html/Bagworm.html
I found it on a metal garbage container maybe it plans to start eating all our garbage. Thanks for your help.
Yes, that's a bagworm. Usually a quite common pest on conifers, it makes a very stout "bag" as the caterpillar develops which protects it from predators.
Sometimes they end up in odd places such as you've described. I wonder if the plant it was devouring to make that full bag was touching the metal, and it just kept moving on in search of "greener" pastures.
These pests will eat other species of plants, too - but are most often found on conifers. Collect and destroy the bags as you find them, since that is where eggs will be laid by females and the youngsters emerge next spring to continue the destruction.
I watched junipers die from bagworms yet I've been taking photos of butterflies and insects this year and knew I've seen this but couldn't think what it was......so much for my memory. Yes, I placed it in a sealed plastic bag and it is headed for the landfil. Thanks for your help. :) M
Funny I have to tell about when I found one on a maple tree. I caged it and it was at the lower part of a branch, the next morning it was at the top. The whole pod had moved! Every morning I looked at it, it had moved and there were signs the leaves were being eaten. But as facinated as I was when I found out what it was, I squished it.
