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Late autumn is a great time for children to go cocooning hunting. This article tells how to winter the cocoons over to see them hatch beautiful and amazing moths.
Shorter hours of daylight and cooler temperatures signal caterpillars that winter is coming. The caterpillars fattened on summer leaves spin cocoons around themselves and during the winter athey develop into moths. The cecropia, polyphemus, hummingbird, promethea and the fabulous luna moth are some of the large common moths of North America that hatch from cocoons each spring.
There are plenty more smaller moths: cottonwood dagger moths, wooley bears, cutworm moths, and underwings, just to name a few. These are harder to find than the big moth cases. Moost cocoons are white or brown and many look like leaves.
Go for an autumn hike and look in forks of twigs. Break off the whole twig. Look on the ground under trees among the leaves. Remember that the cocoons are disguised for protection from birds and predators. They are made to look like leaves and nuts. The Luna cocoons are brown and the size of large pecans.
Place your cocoon in a glass canning jar. You won't need food or water. Can you guess why not? Keep your cocoons in a cold place like the garage, shed, attic or even in the refrigerator. (Be sure to label it so mom won't throw it out.) Your moth won't hatch unless it stays cold for several months.
In the early spring, take your jar out and let it begin to warm slowly. When the days grow warm watch the jar for signs of life. Soon the moth will hatch!
Waitng for the moths to hatch is the hard part. During the winter spend some time curled up with a great book about moths called A Girl of the Limberlost. You'll probably love this book by Gene Stratton Porter as much as I did when I was a young mom and read it to my daughters. You may find yourself more interested in butterflies and moths than ever after this book.
The copyright of the article Cocoon Hunting and Hatching in Kids Activities is owned by Elece Hollis. Permission to republish Cocoon Hunting and Hatching in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Comments
Apr 29, 2008 2:06 PM
Guest :
The cocoon seems so hard and dry. It is large, brown and made of a leaf
(pecan size). Should I keep the environment moist? If so, how? I know if
it were left out in nature it would be moister because of rain and
humidity. I have it in my garage now, in a vented plastic bug container
you can see through. It was found on an old mailbox so there is not a
branch that came with it. I have leaned it up against some branches and
dried leaves (we found it 10 days ago). When it is disturbed, it really
moves around inside. We live in GA. Open to any advise. Thanks! Denise
Jan 11, 2009 6:41 PM
Guest :
i have a cocoon of a polyphemus moth and i cut it open and looked at it
inside for a few days will it die
Jan 22, 2009 1:24 PM
Guest :
it is the middle of january and my wooly bear hasbegun to hatch frm the
cocoon but it has been 2 days already...is that normal?
Jan 22, 2009 3:14 PM
Elece Hollis :
Dear Reader,
The cocoon is hatching early. It was probably too warm
and thought it was spring. It seems long at 2 days. Try holding the cocoon
in your hand lightly until the heat from your hand warms it. It should move
if it is alive. These moths don't live very long. Read more in my article
specifically about woolly bears on this Suite101.com site.
Mrs. Hollis
Jun 13, 2009 5:47 AM
Guest :
i found a polyphemus moth caterpillar a couple of weeks ago and it already
made its cocoon right after i caught it. it is now the middle of June and
it still is in its cocoon. do they make crysilis' inside the cocoon like
cecropia moths? because i cut open the cocoon a little to see if it was
dead or not, and it was still a caterpillar. could this caterpilar just be
a late hatcher or something? does the enviornment temperature have
somehting to do with this? because i keep it inside..
5 Comments
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