Cocoon looking things? One with a red insect inside?

nazira03 Gary, IN Jun 03, 2015

I found these 3 cocoon looking things on my fence today. They are bit larger than a US quarter. One of them seems to be open (it was like that when i found it) and there is a red looking insect inside..? I tried looking for it online, but i haven't found anything. They are attached to the fence. light brown in color. i touched them and they felt firm, and are stuck to the fence. My questions are:

What made these cocoons?
Is it dangerous to humans?
Will it harm my garden/fence/me?
Should i remove it?

I really want to remove them and put them in a container to see what they become. very interesting!

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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Jun 03, 2015

These appear to be cocoons constructed by caterpillars in the subfamily Arctiinae of the family Erebidae; the red critter in your first image is a pupa. Some caterpillars in this subfamily will chew up bits of wood to mix in with their silk along with some of their body hairs.

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Chillybean (Zone 5a) Jun 03, 2015

Edited to say, I spent so long trying to find an answer, I didn't see Flapdoodle's. Sorry about that.

I am probably way off on identification, but I found some Robin moth (Hyalophora cecropia) cocoon images that looks similar, but the moth is rather large.

We've seen large red pupa similar to yours in the ground but maybe 1 1/2 inches long, but not encased in anything else.

I am curious to know what these are, but if they were on my property I would leave them. In some (not all) cases, removing a cocoon/chrysalis from the environment it is in can cause it to die.

This message was edited Jun 3, 2015 6:19 PM

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nazira03 Gary, IN Jun 15, 2015

Thank you both for the replies. I have left them where they are. The cocoons haven't changed from what i can tell.

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nazira03 Gary, IN Jun 15, 2015

And about them being a robin moth's, the size is way off. I have never seen a robin moth around here, but you never know. We just have to see what comes out!

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