Wonders of Nature - Mystery Creatures!

[big bend gyrene]

Had a BIG old water oak fall to the ground this past month, and as with MOST big old water oaks it was almost completely rotten inside. The hollow section of the tree had been serving as home for many creatures -- more roaches than I would care to count -- but one object in particular caught my attention/interest. While chopping up the bad wood and burning it, I saw this "leaf tube" fall from the wood rot to the ground...



Carefully tore the "leaf tube" apart and found that the tube protected a number of bullet shaped capsules...



Tore open one of the bullet capsules, and found it did house a larva as well as some type of waxy food source..



Some animal, guessing almost certainly insect, went to GREAT trouble to cut, carry, build such a perfectly fashioned leaf tube. Sharing for two reasons... one just so all other members can enjoy, and the second reason being that I hope someone will either know what bug did the work or will be able to forward on to someone off the board who can solve the mystery!

Actually have a second mystery creature, though I at least recognize this one as a caterpillar, though I have NO idea what specific type of caterpillar. First time I saw him out of the corner of my eye, I almost thought it was some bizarre mutant baby snake. Only took about a second to focus on in and see it was a caterpillar but in my 40 years, never seen this particular one before (growing up in SC mainly saw catalpa sphinx, tobacco hornworms feasting on tomatoes, etc...).









Sure will be excited if someone can help provide a true identity on either of these wondrous creatures!

[Barhopr]

have no idea on either, but that caterpillar is awesome

[Tom Keels]

Pretty sure your caterpillar is a sphinx moth caterpillar.

[bman]

Both of those are cool... that caterpillar looks so funny it almost looks fake!

The cocoon is from a leaf cutter bee nest
here is one link...http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/INSECT/05576.html

[big bend gyrene]

bman and tom, many thanks for the feedback.

Bman, I'm 100% confident in the leaf cutter bee identification. Found another site that shows good pics of the leaf tube, leaving zero doubt...

http://www.insectpix.net/Leafcutter_bees.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tom, did google image search on sphinx moth caterpillars and see pretty wide variety of different looking caterpillars but none with the mottled non-uniform brown/tan camo streaks or any with the helmet looking shielded head. See many sphinx caterpillars with large heads and psuedo eyes but they appear to have more rounded heads and uniform color patterns. Again, not doubting that it falls in the sphinx moth family as it looks like there is much variation but do hope to find a more definitive match. Again, though, MUCH appreciate the speedy responses Like the old saying goes, learn something new everyday -- much appreciate you both leading me down the road of wisdom

[TallyFish]

Here is a site with numerous pictures of caterpillars some of which mimic snakes. http://whatsthatbug.com/caterpillar_4.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cool pictures!

[CatchYourLimit]

I found'em!

[big bend gyrene]

CatchYourLimit, would pick on you for having too much time on your hands, but guess my posting 8 pics of bugs in my yard sets me up for the same ribbing

[Algaegator]

I had a bug ID question once. I emailed a picture to my local county extension agent, and he quickly ID'd the critter. That is one awesome looking cattapi-caterpil-cattap-worm!

[big bend gyrene]

Well, a year passed and the same kumquat tree that had the single mystery caterpillar on it last year had about 15 this year. Tom, I was pretty sure you were right on the sphinx moth but am now 100% confident what it is, and it's actually a Giant Swallowtail butterfly. I made the confirmation by googling "caterpillar" and "kumquat", and quickly was led to several sites that spoke to the Giant Swallowtail dining primarily on citrus.

http://www.butterflygardeningandconserv ... /giant.php

Tell you what, they can strip a kumquat tree of leaves in NO TIME flat... anyway, another mystery solved

[bman]

This is why I love this site -Very cool!
Tomorrow AM I'm going out to make sure none of them are on my citrus!

[jsuber]

I could only identify the black lab in the background. As this weather is gonna suck.

[big bend gyrene]

I could only identify the black lab in the background. As this weather is gonna suck.

Suber, you need to guess again

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[Sea Dawg]

that is a great dane right ...thinking on breed a great dane and beligum malinois for a big attack dog

[Flanders]

I wonder if you were to palmer a hackle feather around that big worm and added a couple feathers to his tail if a big ol Red Fish would hit it..