At http://blog.perunature.com/2013/06/the-incredible-urodid-moth-cocoon.html they just posted pictures of a one of a kind moth cocoon. As you can see, it has an "open network" design instead of the traditional "closed" design. The moth (Urodus sp) lives in the Tambopata National Reserve in the South East corner of Peru. What advantage does this screen offer that a full cocoon doesn't? Phil Torres, a biologist, speculates:
"I couldn’t find a lot of literature on these guys, but my best guess is the almost 1 foot long silk string it hangs from and the detailed lattice structure would do well to protect against ants while minimizing investment in an all-encompassing cocoon as many moths have." (http://www.neatorama.com/2013/01/14/A-Moth-Inside-Its-Cocoon/).
One of the strangest and most beautiful cocoons is that of the Amazonian moth Urodus ( Urodidae ) which has a coarse open mesh design with an exit at the bottom, and hangs like a pendulum from a 20cm long silk cord. It seems likely that the cord may function to isolate the pupa from marauding ants, but little is known about the biology of this species. (http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Lifecycle%207%20-%20chrysalis.htm).
"I couldn’t find a lot of literature on these guys, but my best guess is the almost 1 foot long silk string it hangs from and the detailed lattice structure would do well to protect against ants while minimizing investment in an all-encompassing cocoon as many moths have." (http://www.neatorama.com/2013/01/14/A-Moth-Inside-Its-Cocoon/).
One of the strangest and most beautiful cocoons is that of the Amazonian moth Urodus ( Urodidae ) which has a coarse open mesh design with an exit at the bottom, and hangs like a pendulum from a 20cm long silk cord. It seems likely that the cord may function to isolate the pupa from marauding ants, but little is known about the biology of this species. (http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Lifecycle%207%20-%20chrysalis.htm).