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My daughter found a dagger moth caterpillar. We brought it home and put it in a small jar with some grass and leaves until I could make more suitable housing for it. Well, I never got the chance. The caterpillar dropped it's hair and spun a cacoon. I knew there was not enough room in the jar for an emerging moth to climb and dry it's wings, so I moved the cacoon to a large aquarium. Apparently the caterpillar was not very happy with me and it left the cacoon. It has disappeared. There was some dirt based bedding in the aquarium, as it had been previously used for a tarantula. Did our caterpillar burrow under the bedding? What should I do?

Is there nobody out there that can answer my question?

UGH! I just wrote out a lengthy answer and hit a wrong icon and lost it all – UGH! I will try to reiterate…

OK, first off, I am sorry I did not get back to you sooner. I know how frustrating it can be to post and feel you are all alone in cyberspace! :-O I was replying to a couple previous posts. (sometimes I think I am the “Lep Answer Girl” lol!)

2nd…the rule of thumb is to never disturb a cat once it has embarked on its journey to pupation. This generally begins with wandering, snuggling (I like to call it) and then spinning. Yes, Dagger make very loose cocoons (if you can call it that).

The fact tat you moved it so soon I am sure it was disturbed. Think of it from the cat’s point of view: snuggly, covered with silk and my own hair and then monster (that would be you) comes along and flies it through the air to a new location! Oh my! No wonder it took off! ;0

It may very well have tried to pupate in the substrate, but their mobility is lessened considerably by their body loosing fluid and becoming hardened.

I would leave everything as is, expose to normal outdoor temps, OUT OF DIRECT SUN, and in about 3 weeks gently sift the substrate and see if you can find it.,

Where do you live and do you know what species dagger it is?

I can give more info once I know those two answers.

Any pics to post??

btw, they do not burrow deep at all so if it is in substrate it should be easy to find but WAIT a few weeks until you know its outer "skin" has hardened. Disorienting a pupating larvae can kill or deform it.

PLEASE keep me posted! Good Luck!

lele

Hello once again. Sorry it took me so long to get back to this. First off, all I really know is that it is an American Dagger Moth. I am definately sure of that. I live in Kansas. I have found many pics of my cat and I am positive of it's identification. I have done as you said and have not disturbed it any more. (sorry I disturbed it to begin with). I have a couple more questions..........in a few weeks when I go searching, when I find it how can I tell if it's still alive and what should I do with it then? Do I put it back in the substrate? And, more importantly, for future reference, what should I have done to begin with? It really was in to small of a container and I would like to know what I should have done so I don't have a repeat of this in the future. Thanks for your help so far.

sorry I don't have any pics