Miniature sarcophagus
I noticed this on top of the freshly-dug earth around my house and couldn't believe my eyes at the size of it:
On my hand for comparison
Unfortunately it was damaged by the digging and the moth inside has died. It's a pupating hawk moth of some kind. The caterpillars of this moth are one of those huge caterpillars that can eat up half the garden in one week. Last summer, I noticed that something ate my leopard lily leaves down to nothing although I never did find the culprit but I think that it must have been one of these caterpillars. They pupate underground and emerge in spring.
The head looks like a gas mask and the pipe-like object is a proboscis sheath, which got broken when it was dug up.
Definitely an example of art imitating nature, this is like something out of H.R. Giger
Very interesting!!!
This is the first time I've seen this!
Great photo!
Thank you
Nunca había visto o escuchado algo igual, la naturaleza es algo que nunca deja de sorprender.
It looks amazing
The weirdness of the insect world is fascinating
Nature is pretty amazing! It almost looks like something that would hold an alien creature in a scary sci-fi movie.
=^..^=
Insects are completely sci-fi, I love that about them
That is HUGE! A caterpillar that big that could eat half a garden in a week!? My goodness. The external covering looks pretty tough and solid. Nothing like the little cocoon I have.
I am exaggerating just a little but they certaily do a lot of damage to a plant
Yes, Giger :)
That name immediately recalls Jodorowsky's Dune in my mind.
Exactly
Its amazing how many unusual things you are finding by digging underground.
I am always on the lookout for things like that
Amaxing! At first I thought it was some kind of old pottery from ancient time!!
This looks like alien pot from other galaxy!!