#case moth

[quilbug-cam]

Little house <3

🪲ID Guess: Case Moths (larva) 🌿Date: October 2025

[its-nice-its-different]

Found this dead bunch of grass crawling across my driveway today. I identified it as a Saunders case moth, or bag moth or bagworm. After a couple of photos I moved it into some vegetation.

I learnt something new! This was a male. The females are a different colour, and they don't grow wings even after they pupate, and they never leave the case.

Thanks to @onenicebugperday for inspiring me.

[drhoz]

#2035 - Lepidoscia arctiella - Tower Casemoth

A case moth species found in all Australian states, on a variety of foodplants. Distinguished from other in the large genus by the cases, which are up to 35mm long, and constructed from tiers of short twigs or stems or cylindrical leaves, each cut to the same length.

The adults are black and brownish yellow - this one is very similar to artiella but isn't an exact match for the markings.

[onenicebugperday]

@nulook4summa submitted: hello from me and this saunders’ case moth larva (I think?) in kyogle, australia

I skipped 37 other submissions again to post this absolutely STUNNING LAD. These photos are incredible, great find. It’s definitely a Saunders’ case moth, which is a type of bagworm, and these are some of the best photos I’ve ever seen of the caterpillar in its case. Highly recommend you submit to iNaturalist so other people can enjoy them!

For those curious, this is a caterpillar, and adult males look like this (after they pupate in their case, which is made out of silk and plant debris):

Photo by scottwgavins

I wasn’t able to find a photo of a female - they stay in their case after pupation and are wingless. :)

Thank you so much for sharing!

[rattyexplores]

Another weird caterpillar species, though this one’s in the shape of an old sock.

Music (C) Closed on Sunday

03/07/21

[stickalithus]

Saunders' case moth (Metura elongatus), also known as the giant bagworm, bee dragon, or long boi. Native to Australia, it is a considerably large, possibly the largest member of the Psychid moth family (case moths). I'd also place my bet on it definitely being the longest moth in the world in terms of abdomen (tail) to thorax/head (body) ratio.

[ecuadorlife]

Pagoda bagworms from Ecuador by Andreas Kay Via Flickr: The caterpillar larvae of bagworm moths or case moths, family Psychidae construct cases out of silk and materials such as leafs, wood and soil as camouflage from predators. Each bagworm makes a case particular to its species, in this case of Pagoda bagworms from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador resembling a Chinese temple. The bagworm extends its head and thorax from the mobile case to devour the leaves of host plants. They also pupate inside their house and adult males take flight to find a mate, while eclosed female moths are wingless. Without leaving their bag they are fertilized by a male moth through the tip of the pagoda. The female lays her eggs inside the bag and seals it with saliva, then leaves its home and dies. More videos from Ecuador at www.youtube.com/AndreasKay

[fangedfemme]

A Bagworm cocoon. A pest for sure... but the camouflage game is strong. -4/13/19- @ Cove Spring Park KY