# What insect made this, and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 7, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223 "2013-09-07T01:59:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/1 "2013-09-07T01:59:48Z")
I debated putting this in IMHO, because right now all that can be done (I assume) is speculate. However, this question does have an answer, so it seemed to fit General Questions better. Mods, feel free to move if you disagree. 🙂 Over on Wired, there’s an article on a peculiar structure that has only recently been spotted. So far it’s been seen 4 times, all on one small island in the Peruvian Amazon. They’re pretty sure it’s made by an insect of some sort, but no one knows which insect and for what purpose. It appears to be a [cone surrounded by a fence](http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/09/weird-weblike-thing/), and it’s maybe 2 cm across. So what made it? And why? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/2 "2013-09-07T02:18:19Z")
[moderating] Since the link in the OP quotes a bunch of experts and says: > [@The OP's Link](#): > > “We are all guessing,” Pearson said. “We have no freakin’ clue. And that’s my expert opinion.” I would say that this thread is calling for speculation. I’m moving it from GQ to IMHO. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/3 "2013-09-07T02:23:20Z")
Wow! I can’t wait to find out what this is and its purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/4 "2013-09-07T02:37:48Z")
Looking at the first picture: “That’s no moon…” ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/5 "2013-09-07T19:04:13Z")
I’m an entomologist and I haven’t a friggin clue. Seriously. I’ve sent the pic to a buddy of mine who might have a better idea. ---
**Author:** ![sylmar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sylmar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sylmar)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/6 "2013-09-07T19:19:14Z")
Not narrowing it down much speculatively, but woven structures make me think of spiders and caterpillars. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/7 "2013-09-07T22:50:17Z")
Could it be a fungus, instead? After all, mushroom grown in rings. The spores could come from the inner tower, & form the ring. It might even grow under the bark. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/8 "2013-09-07T22:52:30Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Could it be a fungus, instead? > > After all, mushroom grown in rings. > The spores could come from the inner tower, & form the ring. > > It might even grow under the bark. No, I don’t think so. The thin threads look very much like insect or spider silk. There are some odd fungi, but nothing I am aware of looks anything like this. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/9 "2013-09-07T22:55:18Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > No, I don’t think so. The thin threads look very much like insect or spider silk. There are some odd fungi, but nothing I am aware of looks anything like this. Point of order–insects could merely be exploiting the structure, without causing it. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/10 "2013-09-08T04:02:33Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Point of order–insects could merely be exploiting the structure, without causing it. So you’re positing that the cone and the spike are some sort of fungus, and the threads that look like fence rails and guy wires are from an exploiting insect? They all (as in spike, cone, fence rails and guy wires) appeared to be made of the same material to me. Maybe an insect could draw or spin the the threads out? Are there any fungi that can grow on tarps? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/11 "2013-09-08T04:09:37Z")
At first glance I’d assume whatever is in the middle is the honey and the fence around it is the trap to ensnare prey. Can’t wait to hear the real explanation. Eta: also I find it near inconceivable some Peruvian villagers somewhere don’t know exactly what made this and why. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/12 "2013-09-08T04:12:57Z")
Ummm They are insects. The have three reasons to do anything. 1. Fucking other insects 2. Killing other insects 3. Freaking out humans ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/13 "2013-09-08T07:52:19Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Point of order–insects could merely be exploiting the structure, without causing it. The whole thing looks like it’s made out of silk. It doesn’t look like a fungal structure to me at all. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/14 "2013-09-08T11:24:44Z")
Does this structure hang upside down or does it grow on the side or top of things? This thing kept me awake last night? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/15 "2013-09-08T14:27:59Z")
According to the article, the first was spotted on the underside of a tarp, which makes it sound like it was upside down. The others were spotted on the sides of trees. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/16 "2013-09-08T15:03:08Z")
Dammit **Colibri** you were supposed to figure this out! First thing I did when I woke up this morning was check this thread to see what made them. I am so freaking curious as to what did this, don’t you know you’re supposed to answer all our nature related questions?? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/17 "2013-09-08T18:44:52Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Dammit **Colibri** you were supposed to figure this out! First thing I did when I woke up this morning was check this thread to see what made them. I am so freaking curious as to what did this, don’t you know you’re supposed to answer all our nature related questions?? Hell, if Bill Eberhard and Jonathan Coddington (two of my colleagues quoted in the article who are spider and insect experts) can’t figure it out, all I can say is WTF too. I’ve been in the general vicinity of where the things were found in the Peruvian Amazon, and have never seen anything like it. The fact that the first one was found on a tarp pretty much precludes it being a fungal structure or outgrowth from the tree bark. It has to have been made by a mobile organism. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/18 "2013-09-08T19:07:49Z")
If it’s a fungus wouldn’t they be able to grow fungus from it? I wonder if it’s supposed to look like a flower. Ether to trick food or attract a mate. They need to set a camera on one for a few days and see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/19 "2013-09-08T19:18:49Z")
It looks like a high-powered transmitter, surrounded by a protective fence. I am guessing an insectoid alien species from outerspace set it up to guide the swarm earthward. Are all the pointy tips pointing at the same direction in space? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223/20 "2013-09-08T19:49:17Z")
I think we need to crowd source enough donations to send Colibri there to find out and report back. Housing is all ready! [Tambopata\_Research\_Center](http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g488184-d318584-r147557290-Tambopata_Research_Center-Tambopata_National_Reserve_Madre_de_Dios_Region.html) What’s a travel package cost? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-insect-made-this-and-why/668223.md?page=2)