Tuesday, January 15, 2013

A Moth Inside Its Cocoon

urodid moth cocoon
This wonder of nature is a urodid moth cocoon. What advantage does this screen offer that a full cocoon doesn't? Phil Torres, a biologist, speculates:
I couldn’t find a lot of literature on these guys, but my best guess is the almost 1 foot long silk string it hangs from and the detailed lattice structure would do well to protect against ants while minimizing investment in an all-encompassing cocoon as many moths have. 

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