casemoth (Cryptothelea fuscescens)

Photo by Scott Frazier

Published on Project Noah

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Field Notes

Description:

A masterpiece "log-cabin" case of a New Guinea species of case moth (bagworm moth), family Psychidae.

Habitat:

Spotted on Bougainvillea sp. in a large semi-urban yard/garden adjacent to a disturbed remnant patch of forest.

Notes:

This spotting is on a different plant (although same species) than the previous spotting here: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7043650. See more details about this kind of spotting there. This or a closely related species apparently occurs in Singapore as well http://www.flickr.com/photos/siyangteo/3243630839/ A "poor cousin" in terms of architectural finesse can be seen here http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7829193

Reference Links:

Bagworm moth, Papua Insects Foundation (Lepidoptera/Psychidae/Cryptothelea fuscescens)

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (63)

JordiPrats

Hi Scott it is a really cool wooden "house", I find this one in Bali, I guess if it could be the same genus: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/2029773

Scott Frazier

Thanks Melissa and Melody!

Melodious

That's incredible!

MelissaFerguson

What a cool critter and awesome photo's!

Scott Frazier

Thanks very much, Luis!

LuisStevens

I always see this photo in the Architecture mission but I didn't know it was yours. Congrats Scott!

Thanks outsidegirl0!

cool S.F.!

Thanks Telse!

Fascinating!Very nice!

Thank you Ruby

Awesome S Frazier

Sure J! :-)

Awesome spotting! I'd be honored to see this in my Moths of the World Mission.

Scott Frazier

Thanks Sergio!

Sergio Monteiro

I thought I had favorited this one long ago! Well, now it is.

Scott Frazier

Thanks ME!

I think this is interesting because I like the way the case looks like a log cabin made of sticks.

Scott Frazier

Yes it is! Thanks

TKBotting

That is amazing!

Scott Frazier

I cannot believe it! I am putting forth an ID for this spotting after all this time from a source that was right under my nose. I don't know how I overlooked it!

Scott Frazier

Again, thank you all!

This is amazing!

Congrats...

Congradulations!

Congrats.

Congratulations Scott grate spotting.

Scott Frazier

Wow! Well I didn't know this was coming! Thanks very much Project Noah!

Ava T-B

Animal Architecture at its finest! Congratulations!

peter

We knew this was coming. Overdue and definitely a well deserved Spotting of the Day. Way to go Scott! "How strange! What a wonderful construction made by the caterpillar of a Bagworm Moth. This impressive 'log-cabin' case is made from environmental materials and is used as protection." Facebook: http://facebook.com/projectnoah/posts/358089284207088 Twitter: http://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/155866573381451776

Scott Frazier

Thanks NicholeSauve and Ava T-B!

Ava T-B

S Frazier, I was going to be looking for this image today in my Favorites to ask you to add it to the animal architecture mission. I love this image so much!

NicholeSauve

Wow this is amazing! Great spotting!

Scott Frazier

Thanks so much everyone!

Saarbrigger

Fascinating!

textless

Awesome - very interesting!

ThePinappleMan

wow very cool

Leuba Ridgway

would love to live there myself ! -impressive.

VivBraznell

That's a very impressive home

Mark Ridgway

I love it - he perfect tree house! That area must still have some amazing life forms to reveal.

ToFastenWithStitches

Wow that's brilliant I have never seen anything like.....I Love this site and so does my 5yr old.... Thanks! :)

Scott Frazier

Yes it is, thanks!

Carol Snow Milne

COOL! It is amazing!

ulvalactuca77

I too am amazed by this!

KarenL

Scott Frazier

KarenL thanks for the added information :-)

KarenL

Sean, the males leave the case after they pupate but the females are wingless & remain in the cases. The male moth fertilizes the female in the case & the new larva eat their mother when they emerge before moving on to start the cycle again! We have bagworm moths in the US too, but they don't produce such interesting cases - this is a spotting of mine that shows the caterpillar - http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7153778

Rajendra

Something different.

SeanWeekly

im confused, is this moth inside this wooden structure then?

The MnMs

Wow..AMAZING! :-)