Strange Garden Visitor
I am new to this whole gardening thing. I was recently clearing some land for planting and I found several strange red objects. I thought at first from their shape that they were some type of chrysalis, though I'd never heard of them being buried in the dirt. Then I saw it wiggle. Does anyone know what this is? Is it dangerous? Thanks
- applestar
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Moth pupae, I expect... unless they were smallish, then they might've been fly pupae. Some moths pupate in the leaf litter, usually inside a silken cocoon, but they wiggle out when the soil starts to get warm. Unlike butterfly chrysalis which are hard, moth pupae are soft enough that they wriggle occasionally. Probably impatient to come out. Some of them turn into beauties, not dangerous at all.
Here's a cute story: https://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=pierson&book=night&story=moth
Last spring (beginning of May), kids and I released 2 Snowberry Clearwing Moths after they'd spent the winter in the garage in a terrarium.
Last summer, I found a cluster of Io moth eggs on some herbs I was buying (promised and returned half the hatched larvae to the herb lady) and we compared notes as we fed and watched the caterpillars grow. Hers disappeared among her herbs but my kids and I raised ours indoors and when they cocooned, moved them to an aquarium filled with moist soil and fallen leaves so they could hatch. Glad you reminded me, I should go check on them in the garage....
Here's a cute story: https://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=pierson&book=night&story=moth
Last spring (beginning of May), kids and I released 2 Snowberry Clearwing Moths after they'd spent the winter in the garage in a terrarium.
Last summer, I found a cluster of Io moth eggs on some herbs I was buying (promised and returned half the hatched larvae to the herb lady) and we compared notes as we fed and watched the caterpillars grow. Hers disappeared among her herbs but my kids and I raised ours indoors and when they cocooned, moved them to an aquarium filled with moist soil and fallen leaves so they could hatch. Glad you reminded me, I should go check on them in the garage....