Skip to main content
Close

Wildlife Spotting

Photo by Mandy Hollman
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

33.972, -83.5752

Field Notes

Description:

Pupa (?) about an inch long. Sticky white web-like stuff surrounding dark brown papery layer, with more sticky white stuff inside that, around the insect. Found a bunch of these in the same rotting log, tucked into the soft wood and hidden away.

Habitat:

In a dead log with soft, light wood that was crumbly and a little damp. In woods, near creek

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (2)

Good idea! Sounds fun. I've gathered some of them and have them in a container with some of the wood. I think it's some kind of Apoid wasp, probably the same kind as the wasp photo I added today, with the wasp about to emerge from its hole in the wood. That group of wasps apparently makes tunnels in logs just like the ones I found, and their pupae are arranged in the tunnels like the ones I found. Also found a black similar-looking wasp (maybe a mud dauber?). Maybe they are the same species, or maybe one species took over another's tunnels.
I think that being a pupa limits this spotting to a moth or a beetle. I would suggest a moth but beetles are more commonly inside wood. And nature is always ready with a surprise! It would be an interesting contribution to science to put a couple in a jar by your kitchen window and wait for them to emerge. Then click, release, and upload. =)

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon