A five-spotted hawk moth squirming its way out of its hard cocoon casing has gone viral on Reddit.
The video of the fully-formed moth escaping from its cocoon has amassed over 49,000 upvotes.
Posted by user OneHumanPeOple, who is based in Pennsylvania, the video shows the moth struggling to climb out of the hard cocoon shell, before spewing a pale yellow liquid all over the person holding it.
Five-spotted hawk moth [Manduca quinquemaculata] larvae, which are often called tomato hornworms when they're in their caterpillar forms, generally feed on leaves of tomato, eggplant, pepper, tobacco and potato plants. They can be found across the U.S., but are less common in southeastern and Great Plains states.
"They are considered garden pests in their worm form," OneHumanPeOple told Newsweek.
When the caterpillar reaches around 4 inches long and is fully grown in the fall, they begin to pupate. The larva then disintegrates inside the cocoon casing, gradually reforming and growing into its adult moth form. Five-spotted hawk moths overwinter in the soil in their pupa form, emerging in the summertime.
"There is some controversy over whether I should have assisted the moth or not," OneHumanPeOple said.
"As a general rule we shouldn't touch moths, but I do have an explanation as to why I lent this one a hand. I raise them above ground. This video shows one of the dozens I've raised. In nature, they emerge underground and the soil all around them provides the friction needed to wiggle free of their chrysalis. Since I raise them above ground, they may struggle and become exhausted just pushing against air. I observed this one having a tough time before I picked it up and started the video."
The liquid spraying all over OneHumanPeOple's hand in the video is actually the feces of the moth, having accumulated during the pupation process.
"There is a lot of waste created during metamorphosis and they excrete it first chance they get," OneHumanPeOple said in a comment under the Reddit post.
"Of course lots of people are grossed out and that's understandable," OneHumanPeOple told Newsweek.
After this particularly messy affair, @OneHumanPeOple has changed their approach to helping the moths emerge from the cocoon.
"I now wrap them in a paper towel when they are ready to emerge. It means I don't have to assist them and the cleanup is easier."
Five spotted hawk moths are around 5.1 inches in wingspan as adults, and feed on nectar from large, fragrant white flowers such as primroses and pricklyburrs. Like many other flying insects, five-spotted hawk moths are important pollinator species: both Mirabilis multiflora (Colorado four o'clock flowers) and Oenothera caespitosa (the tufted evening primrose) are dependent on hawkmoths for their pollination.
"I think metamorphosis is one of the most awe-inspiring events in nature. We need moths and butterflies. They are an integral part of our ecosystem," OneHumanPeOple said.
"And we humans have a responsibility to the pollinators. We are the cause of their decline. That's our mess to clean up. I feel a sense of both duty and awe. Bugs are rad."
Do you have an animal or nature story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about moths? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jess Thomson is a Newsweek Science Reporter based in London UK. Her focus is reporting on science, technology and healthcare. ... Read more
