CLOSED: Cocoon found on sumac

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kwanjin (Zone 7a) Jun 17, 2008

I found this yesterday on my sumac. I didn't want to disturb it too much until it was IDed.

Any ideas what might be inside?

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kwanjin (Zone 7a) Jun 17, 2008

The underside.

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Jun 17, 2008

I do not think that this is a cocoon - more likely causes of such folding are silken retreats made by spiders or leaf-feeding caterpillars. As I see no sign of leaf damage, I rather suspect that you might find a spider hiding under that silk. A somewhat less likely finding would be an egg mass.

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kwanjin (Zone 7a) Jun 17, 2008

I don't mind spiders in the yard. They eat my bad bugs. I see no damage on other leaves. I was so hoping spider. I'm going to keep my eyes on it.

Thanks!

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kwanjin (Zone 7a) Aug 03, 2008

Okay, so, about 3 weeks ago, I noticed a small hole at one end of the coccoon. I looked inside and couldn't see anything. I opened the leaf and found an earwig in the coccoon.

Did an earwig make this or did it get inside and eat whatever WAS in it?

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Aug 03, 2008

Earwigs have incomplete metamorphosis and do not construct cocoons of any sort. Some earwigs are predaceous, so it may have dined on whatever was in the web; or, it may simply have found it a convenient shelter.

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kwanjin (Zone 7a) Aug 04, 2008

Thank you. I'm looking for more. Maybe I'll get lucky.

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