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Will Moth Cocoons Emerge Indoors in Winter?

Insects such as moths follow a life cycle enveloping the stages of eggs, larva (caterpillar), pupa and adult. While most moths, such as silk moths and sphinx moths, prefer to sleep through the winters in the pupa stage, some species, such as the winter moth, surface from their cocoons starting from Thanksgiving till the end of the year. During winter, if you take moth cocoons indoors and the temperature is warm, you will end up with a pupa that has metamorphosed into a moth before other pupae of its species, and hence, it will die within a few days without mating.

Indications of Readiness
- Close observation of the insect's life cycle reveals signs when the caterpillars are set to pupate. Caterpillars that are brought home much before they show any signs of pupating require specific and adequate amount of food. Ensure that you are well aware of the plant from where the caterpillar was taken, as you have to feed the caterpillars the leaves from the same plant. On the other hand, caterpillars picked from the ground do not require feeding as this stage, as it is an indication of readiness to pupate.
Facilitating the Process
- Each moth species has certain specific requisites that are vital for the caterpillar to pupate, making it imperative for the caretaker to be sure of the species being nurtured. Caterpillars belonging to the species of sphinx moths are known to pupate in loose soil; therefore, it is essential to provide them with approximately 7cm of loose soil in any container or jar. The smaller varieties of this species prefer to pupate amongst dried leaves. On the other hand, species of large silk moths, such as polyphemus, cecropia or Columbia silk moth, look for bushes or trees to pupate.
Overwintering of Pupae
- Cold climatic conditions are a must for overwintering of most species. It is best to place the pupae in containers, outside for the winter season. Direct exposure to sunlight can prove fatal for the pupae. Therefore, ensure that the container is placed away from direct sunlight. Keeping the pupae in a garage that is away from sunlight is a good option. Provided you can protect your pupae against desiccation, keeping them inside a refrigerator is also a good possibility.
Eclosion
- The moment of emergence is indeed a special one and when the moth is about to emerge from the cocoon, bring the pupa indoors for everyone to enjoy the view. Ensure that your timing is accurate, as bringing the container indoors in advance may hamper the life cycle of the insect. The most appropriate time to bring the pupae indoors is fall. A specific sign indicating an emergence is changes in the color of the cocoon. Moths tend to emerge from their cocoons in the evenings and nights.

Insects & Science