Cocoon update!

Cocoon Update: the Luna or Polyphemus Moth is about to emerge from the cocoon I've been keeping since last October.

Last week, when we had one of those very warm spring like days, I had checked on the cocoon, which I had kept in a cool dark place in the garage ever since last fall. My concern was that the warming temperatures would signal to the moth inside that it was time to free itself of the papery prison. It was quite active and responded immediately to my touch with lots of leg movement.

I did a little bit of research once more and found that it isn't just the temperature, but also the length of daylight that signals the moth's time to emerge. Maybe I could coax it to stay inside for another week or two? If it comes out now, I doubt there will be any mates flying around looking for it. Since it will only live about a week, it would be a shame to let the moth out now with no way of fulfilling its final purpose!

I also found out that they are likely to come out in mid-morning. I wanted somehow to time it's coming out to happen in the classroom of the students who found it. Since it's still a bit too cold for moths to fly and mate this week, I've been keeping the moth dark and cold so it'll still think it's winter, which today it really felt like it was.

An expert on Giant Silkworm Moths in North Carolina, Ms. Saylor, responded to my email request for more information on what to do about it being attached to the wall of a little wooden cage. I knew that if it came out in the little cage, it would never be able to fully expand its wings, and it would never be able to fly if that happened. Yet, I was afraid to remove it, afraid I would crush it if I tried to separate it from the wall. Ms. Saylor assured me that I could pry the cocoon carefully from the wall without crushing the insect inside. So I did, and it came off easily. Then I took a picture of it.

She also suggested I somehow attach it to a stick and place it in an aquarium. It needs a stick to crawl up so it can hang upside down and let its wings unfold. She said do not use tape because the moth could get stuck on the tape.

I thought about super glue, rubber cement, Elmer's glue, and hot glue. The chemicals in the super glue and rubber cement might be harmful, and the Elmer's glue would take too long to dry. The hot glue would be too hot. Didn't want to burn the little critter.

But if I was careful, I could let the hot glue cool off a bit before I applied it to the stick, and made sure the moth inside was upside down and not touching the inside surface of the cocoon when I attached it to the warm glue. That's what I did, and the cocoon was attached neatly to the stick. I placed the stick in a giant sized glass cookie jar until I can get it to school where an aquarium waits for it.

I felt the moth squirm inside after all the handling in my warm house, but set it back out in the garage, forcing it into its dormant, or whatever you call that, state before it chews its way out.

At least I know it's still alive, and in another week or so, I can take it to school for a "coming out" party! The kids will be so excited...

but I'm going to be the most excited! My first Giant Silkworm Moth! I've never witnessed the entire cocoon cycle of a moth before. I'll keep posting and taking pictures as the event happens.