It is the communal home of tent caterpillars. It provides them with shelter and protection from predators.
Overwintering eggs hatch early spring, then the caterpillars start eating leaves on the tree and and building their tent. They become fully grown by late spring or summer. Once the caterpillars are grown they wander off and hide themselves in well protected places like a piece of bark or leaf. There they spin silken cocoons for themselves, then moths emerge from those cocoons in a few weeks.
We're not sure exactly what type of moth these caterpillars will become. They are fascinating to observe safely from a distance all the same.
This is so weird ... I actually just woke up this morning thinking about these little caterpillars!! They visit out yard each summer too and I was just thinking how it should be the time for them, however, I've not seen any yet,
ReplyDeleteOh neat, I've never seen such a thing!!!
ReplyDeleteHow amazing. I've never seen anything like it! Keep us posted with what they turn into!
ReplyDeleteA caterpillar tent- what a great name for that big mess of web! My daughter and I like to inspect the one at our favorite park. One day we caught one escaping and he became our new friend.
ReplyDeletei have seen this. very cool!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos, we have seen some of these but none so impressive!
ReplyDeleteLove Gina xx
I've never seen a nest like this full of caterpillars. We get beautiful worms on our frangipani trees they haven't showed up yet.
ReplyDeletewe found some the other day in our mulberry tree, I watch these with fascination each year...
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