moth question.

William L. Read readw at medicine.wustl.edu
Fri Jan 15 15:04:20 EST 1999


I have a question regarding a moth.  A pic I found on the web shows the
adult - check
http://biodidac.bio.uottawa.ca/Thumbnails/images/LEPI011P.GIF.
A neighbor discovered the giant green caterpillar crawling along an a very
hot August day (in Missouri).  We put it in a jar and it spun a cocoon.
The adult moth emerged on 12/28/98 - a subfreezing and snowy day.  It
would have died outside, I think.  My questions:
1 - was it supposed to freeze solid and thus overwinter in the cocoon?  Or
would it have hatched (eclosed?) earlier and migrated south in the fall?
2 - did the fact the cocoon was inside hasten development somehow?
3 - with the adult (alive as of today!) live until warmer weather?
 
Thank you.


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