Satin Moth

We are fairly over-run with Satin Moth caterpillars this year.  They look suspiciously like tent caterpillars, but they are not.  They are a variety of Tussock Moth.  Apparently they eat foliage, but I haven't seen too much damage, so I haven't been killing them.  Actually, someone came to visit my house the other day and squashed one - it kind of upset me.  I don't see the point in killing things unless they are doing damage (like millions of aphids) - although, when their offspring are with us next year, I'll likely be kicking myself for letting so many of them live.  I have rescued a couple from spider webs - although I feel conflicted because the spiders need to eat, too.

I've always thought that caterpillars wrapped themselves in silk and turned into a cocoon.  But that is  not entirely the case with these ones - I'm not sure about all the other caterpillars out there.  This afternoon, I watched as a pupa (I think) wriggled out of it's caterpillar skin, changed colours and started to turn into a hard-shelled chrysalis - is this the difference between a cocoon and a chrysalis - I really don't know.  Anyhow, it was pale and soft when it emerged:

Within an hour was dark and I assume hard:

 So it has silk around it, but the casing seems to be a hard exoskeleton-like coating.

Here are some others in different stages of development:

It's pretty cool.  Hope I get to see some of the moths - and I really hope they don't strip our trees next year!