How deep does this need to be buried?

[AkionTotocha]

This red cocoon wriggles, I tipped out a plant pot of MPC and so don't know how deep it wants to be



(It may be sideways again, something wrong with attaching photos direct from an iPhone)

[sparrow100]

I have those - but equally no idea of what it is.

[veggiechicken]

Do you want it to survive or not?
I have a feeling its a baddie

[sparrow100]

Have been googling for 5 mins and am coming up with 'it's a moth'.

[Guest]

I gurgled and got http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...oes_59544.html It is amazing what you can gurgle and the vine pops up

[AkionTotocha]

I found one as a child but it hatched into a parasitic wasp, a very thin one so not the owner of the original cocoon.

Relating to that potato thread, I was going put potatoes in that pot too... Psychic moth??

I might put it in a jar... Because I'm still a 5 y/o

[Jungle Jane]

If its a crane fly they can cause root damage in their larvae stage. That's what I thought it was last year,I found one in a pot of MPC too.

[Martin H]

It's definitely a moth pupa, one of the noctuids. There are lots, most of them don't feed on crop plants. Although if you're unlucky it could be a cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae)...

It should be emerging fairly soon, if you keep it in captivity you'll be able to see what it comes out as.

They aren't usually deep in the soil, usually just under loose stuff near the surface.

[MarkPelican]

I'm sorry but my usual response with these is to put them on the path and let the birds have them. So many moth caterpillars seem to be willing to eat my tomatoes that I don't want them surviving (I know potatoes aren't tomatoes but if it reduces the number of moths, so much the better).

[AkionTotocha]

The suspect is now in custody awaiting trial.

(I put it in a jam jar with some soil)