I know that the gentle rain falling from my oak trees lately is
catepillar castings. But why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down, snagging the oak tassles?

Thanks,
Bill

Bill McKee wrote:
I know that the gentle rain falling from my oak trees lately is
catepillar castings. But why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down, snagging the oak tassles?

Maybe they're climbing down looking for new digs?

--
Victor Martinez
Send your spam he
Email me he

Bill McKee wrote:
I know that the gentle rain falling from my oak trees lately is
catepillar castings. But why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down, snagging the oak tassles?

Maybe they're climbing down looking for new digs?

--
Victor Martinez
Send your spam he
Email me he

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 12:24:43 GMT, Bill McKee
wrote:

I know that the gentle rain falling from my oak trees lately is
catepillar castings. But why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down, snagging the oak tassles?

It's a survival strategy. Whenever there is some sort of disturbance,
they immediately drop on those long threads. I think the silk is
recycled as they climb up, but there is bound to be some energy loss.

Also, it would seem to make them more vulnerable to predators, but I
have never seen a bird take a caterpillar that way. Perhaps the birds
that eat caterpillars can't get around the idea of catching them out
of the air and the birds that eat flying insects don't recognize them
as food. Grackles are smart enough to figure out that dog food softens
in water, maybe some genius grackle will discover caterpillars on a
string.

Anyway, give an oak tree limb a good shake this time of year and you
will dozens of the critters come cascading down.

I went for my usual walk in Dick Nichols park yesterday, not thinking,
and must have picked up 20 or 30 of the things in my hair and down my
back. I had to wave my cane in front of me as I walked. All evening
long I was picking caterpillars.

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 12:24:43 GMT, Bill McKee
wrote:

I know that the gentle rain falling from my oak trees lately is
catepillar castings. But why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down, snagging the oak tassles?

It's a survival strategy. Whenever there is some sort of disturbance,
they immediately drop on those long threads. I think the silk is
recycled as they climb up, but there is bound to be some energy loss.

Also, it would seem to make them more vulnerable to predators, but I
have never seen a bird take a caterpillar that way. Perhaps the birds
that eat caterpillars can't get around the idea of catching them out
of the air and the birds that eat flying insects don't recognize them
as food. Grackles are smart enough to figure out that dog food softens
in water, maybe some genius grackle will discover caterpillars on a
string.

Anyway, give an oak tree limb a good shake this time of year and you
will dozens of the critters come cascading down.

I went for my usual walk in Dick Nichols park yesterday, not thinking,
and must have picked up 20 or 30 of the things in my hair and down my
back. I had to wave my cane in front of me as I walked. All evening
long I was picking caterpillars.

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

In article ,
Elliot Richmond wrote:

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 12:24:43 GMT, Bill McKee
wrote:

I know that the gentle rain falling from my oak trees lately is
catepillar castings. But why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down, snagging the oak tassles?

It's a survival strategy. Whenever there is some sort of disturbance,
they immediately drop on those long threads. I think the silk is
recycled as they climb up, but there is bound to be some energy loss.

Also, it would seem to make them more vulnerable to predators, but I
have never seen a bird take a caterpillar that way.

I have. It was quite a surprise and very cool. I was watching one of the
little things just hanging there outside by back door (window) when,
suddenly, a bird shoots by and grabs it. Now whenever I'm watching one
(or more) hang from my oak tree, I'm hoping for a bird to swoop down
and get it!

Perhaps the birds
that eat caterpillars can't get around the idea of catching them out
of the air and the birds that eat flying insects don't recognize them
as food. Grackles are smart enough to figure out that dog food softens
in water, maybe some genius grackle will discover caterpillars on a
string.

Anyway, give an oak tree limb a good shake this time of year and you
will [see] dozens of the critters come cascading down.

I went for my usual walk in Dick Nichols park yesterday, not thinking,
and must have picked up 20 or 30 of the things in my hair and down my
back. I had to wave my cane in front of me as I walked. All evening
long I was picking caterpillars.

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://home.earthlink.net/~sme617

In article ,
Elliot Richmond wrote:

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 12:24:43 GMT, Bill McKee
wrote:

I know that the gentle rain falling from my oak trees lately is
catepillar castings. But why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down, snagging the oak tassles?

It's a survival strategy. Whenever there is some sort of disturbance,
they immediately drop on those long threads. I think the silk is
recycled as they climb up, but there is bound to be some energy loss.

Also, it would seem to make them more vulnerable to predators, but I
have never seen a bird take a caterpillar that way.

I have. It was quite a surprise and very cool. I was watching one of the
little things just hanging there outside by back door (window) when,
suddenly, a bird shoots by and grabs it. Now whenever I'm watching one
(or more) hang from my oak tree, I'm hoping for a bird to swoop down
and get it!

Perhaps the birds
that eat caterpillars can't get around the idea of catching them out
of the air and the birds that eat flying insects don't recognize them
as food. Grackles are smart enough to figure out that dog food softens
in water, maybe some genius grackle will discover caterpillars on a
string.

Anyway, give an oak tree limb a good shake this time of year and you
will [see] dozens of the critters come cascading down.

I went for my usual walk in Dick Nichols park yesterday, not thinking,
and must have picked up 20 or 30 of the things in my hair and down my
back. I had to wave my cane in front of me as I walked. All evening
long I was picking caterpillars.

Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor

--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://home.earthlink.net/~sme617

For me it means they're trying to tell me it's time to break out the sevin
dust.

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
...
I know that the gentle rain falling from my oak trees lately is
catepillar castings. But why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down, snagging the oak tassles?

Thanks,
Bill

For me it means they're trying to tell me it's time to break out the sevin
dust.

"Bill McKee" wrote in message
...
I know that the gentle rain falling from my oak trees lately is
catepillar castings. But why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down, snagging the oak tassles?

Thanks,
Bill

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 12:24:43 GMT, Bill McKee
wrote:
(snipped)
why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down,

With the little catepillars attached to the ends? Maybe the oaks have
decided to Go Fishing!

I have never seen the density we have of these inch worms this year
and it must be good for the insect eating birds.

Rusty Mase

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 12:24:43 GMT, Bill McKee
wrote:
(snipped)
why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down,

With the little catepillars attached to the ends? Maybe the oaks have
decided to Go Fishing!

I have never seen the density we have of these inch worms this year
and it must be good for the insect eating birds.

Rusty Mase

On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 18:48:18 -0600, Rusty Mase
wrote:

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 12:24:43 GMT, Bill McKee
wrote:
(snipped)
why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down,

With the little catepillars attached to the ends? Maybe the oaks have
decided to Go Fishing!

I have never seen the density we have of these inch worms this year
and it must be good for the insect eating birds.

I've been watching these the last 2 mornings and they seem to drop
down just before daybreak, and haul themselves back up
mid-morning. They do about 2.5"/minute upwards.

As been noted, this year is really bad for some reason. Maybe
they're on the same kind of cycle as the 17-year Cicada-X, set to
break out [checking watch] right about now:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...adas.html#main

It seems to be a year for bugs.

-sw (just picked up my Epipens)

In article ,
Steve Wertz wrote:

On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 18:48:18 -0600, Rusty Mase
wrote:

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 12:24:43 GMT, Bill McKee
wrote:
(snipped)
why are they "wasting" all of that good silk
in those long threads hanging down,

With the little catepillars attached to the ends? Maybe the oaks have
decided to Go Fishing!

I have never seen the density we have of these inch worms this year
and it must be good for the insect eating birds.

I've been watching these the last 2 mornings and they seem to drop
down just before daybreak, and haul themselves back up
mid-morning. They do about 2.5"/minute upwards.

As been noted, this year is really bad for some reason. Maybe
they're on the same kind of cycle as the 17-year Cicada-X, set to
break out [checking watch] right about now:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...adas.html#main

It seems to be a year for bugs.

-sw (just picked up my Epipens)

We had a very warm winter.
I did not even lose my geraniums, and the cannas never totally froze
back either.

K.

--
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