11.012 Common Bagworm (Psyche casta), a tenanted case, still in Yorkshire but outside of Calderdale at Askham Bog, York on June 8th 2021. Two cases were found and taken home to rear through but unfortunately both were parasitised.
11.012 Common Bagworm (Psyche casta), a second tenanted case from Askham Bog, details above. One case was found on a Flag Iris leaf blade and one nearing the top of a fence post.
And me with my precious Common Bagworm find at York.
11.003 Narrow Lichen Bagworm (Dahlica triquetrella), one of two cases found at the West Vale end of North Dean wood on May 12th 2020. The case measured 8mm x 2.5mm x 2.5mm and is adorned with various plant and insect remains on the oral half.
The same case as above after being opened up. To my amazement not only was it full of eggs but hatching was imminent!!!
The eyes have darkened and the larvae can be seen through the egg shells.
The white hairs mixed in with the eggs are called the corethrogyne, they are from the tip of the female's abdomen. See the egg laying Grey Bagworm below.
About an hour later and the larvae have begun to emerge. I now have to provide them with tiny sand and grit particles so they can begin to make their own cases.
Later the same day and incredibly the minute larvae have already constructed cases giving them perfect camouflage and a safe retreat from predators.
11.008 Grey Bagworm (Luffia lapidella), one of four cases found on a dry stone wall near Salterhebble canal basin on June 5th 2020. There were doubtless many more out of sight. The case is a distinctive, tilted cone shape sometimes containing rings of varying colours as the larva extends it using different mineral grains.
11.008 Grey Bagworm (Luffia lapidella), one of the tenanted cases mentioned above taken for rearing on June 5th 2020.
11.008 Grey Bagworm (Luffia lapidella) adult egg laying on July 3rd 2020.
Just 13 days after pupation one of the above cases has produced this moth. It's a female, as they all are and a mere 2.2mm in length.
Her sole purpose in life is to start laying her already fertile eggs back in to her larval case - a job she struggled to do as she could not locate the case opening with her disproportionately long ovipositor.
After giving her a helping hand by carefully widening the case opening she finally began to deposit her eggs. After around five hours her egg laying duties were over and she fell to the ground.
The dense tuft of white hairs at the tip of the abdomen is called the corethrogyne and is mixed in with eggs during laying, presumable to deter predators.
11.008 Grey Bagworm (Luffia lapidella) case from Hollas Lane nature reserve on June 30th 2020. It was one of several cases on the large, mesh Gabion baskets containing stone to prevent flood damage.
11.008 Grey Bagworm (Luffia lapidella) cases on a dry stone wall near the cycle-way at Brearley Bridge, Mytholmroyd on Oct. 30th 2022. There are three cases roughly forming an equalateral triangle which are no more than about 3mm long at this early stage in their development.
11.008 Grey Bagworm (Luffia lapidella) cases from Brearley, Mytholmroyd on Apr. 14th 2024. Curiously the entire colony of around 20 larvae is restricted to just one top stone on a stretch of wall over 100 meters in length.
11.008 Grey Bagworm (Luffia lapidella) case again from Brearley showing growth rings constructed from differing materials. Many of the cases were tenanted and gently moved as they fed.
11.008 Grey Bagworm (Luffia lapidella) cases again at Brearley on Apr. 14th 2024. At least one of the cases (centre) appears to have a parasitic wasp exit hole.
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