Strange Spooky Silky Stockings Story

[Luke]

The past few days I've had hardly time to spend on this forum but yesterday I took my camera because while walking the dog I saw something unusual.

A tree with three trunks that does not really look dead but has no leaves.
http://users.skynet.be/luc.elst/div/ssss1.jpg

When you look closer the trunks and branches are completely wrapped with a silky substance as if somebody put silky stockings on the trees. :eek:
http://users.skynet.be/luc.elst/div/ssss2.jpg

As I got closer I noticed some living creatures on the tree.
http://users.skynet.be/luc.elst/div/ssss3.jpg

Some outside the stocking
http://users.skynet.be/luc.elst/div/ssss4.jpg

Most of them inside.
http://users.skynet.be/luc.elst/div/ssss5.jpg

http://users.skynet.be/luc.elst/div/ssss6.jpg

Strange Spooky Silky Stockings Story, if you ask me :ohmy:
http://users.skynet.be/luc.elst/div/ssss7.jpg

Luc

[Julio]

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

VERY interesting, though!

[tb2]

I've never seen anything like that Luke, though I have seen caterpillars in multiple large "tents" (say 50cm diameter) on bushes, eating all the leaves. They were the caterpillars of some kind of moth. Weird pictures!

Regards, Tony

[Tony Finnerty]

I'm glad you carried your camera while walking the dogs, Luke! I've seen tent caterpillars, of course, but never an entire tree defoliated and enclosed in the tent. Those must be hungry 'pillars. Good documentary and good photos.

[Reiska]

Intersting, that larva could be a Bird-cherry ermine moth, Yponomeuta evonymellus L., Yponomeuta (Hyponomeuta) padi Zell or if it is Cristo then it is art ;-)

Normally it will not seriously damage the tree.

Regards: Reiska

[Luke]

Thanks for the comments.
I have not seen Cristo around, Reiska but why not call the caterpillars "Cristo caterpillars" for now.
As this tree stands on property of the university of Antwerp I also sent an e-mail with some photo's to the science department and received a reply to tell me that they were interested.
Luc

[blueridgegirl]

Wow, that is really creepy! (But kind of cool, too....) It sort of looks like gypsy moth webs we have here, and they do defoliate the trees, but not to that extent!

Eeek. I have to admit the caterpillar pictures rather made my skin crawl. (How's that for a weird American expression?!) :D

[Reiska]

Here you can see what it is to come :nailbiting: :nailbiting:
A portrait of an adult Bird-cherry Ermine Moth.

It is taken by Raija Peura in the University of Oulu.
The northmost university in the world. (Europa at least:smile: )


http://www.oulu.fi/electronoptics/welcome.html


http://lauro.fi/images/parepeikko.jpg

Photo: Raija Peura (University of Oulu)

[Skyscaper]

Nice job capturing the silky texture. I hope the trees are ok, though. Being defoliated like that in Spring doesn't seem like a good thing.

Ed

[Luke]

Here you can see what it is to come :nailbiting: :nailbiting:
A portrait of an adult Bird-cherry Ermine Moth.

It is taken by Raija Peura in the University of Oulu.
The northmost university in the world. (Europa at least:smile: )




WOW, Reiska, this is beyond macro. :eek: It also proves that aliens are not little green people in high-tech spacecrafts. They are much smaller. Maybe they came to earth ages ago on a meteorite. :D
Luc