I have a large, purple cocoon/worm thing in my garden. Any idea what it is?

Answer 1

On what? What size? Could be a cocoon with a butterfly maturing inside. Could be a bagworm...the "cocoon" is a home for an foliage eating caterpillar. Then there are the large diffuse webbing up in the trees that hold many caterpillars which munch away on the foliage. These can be hard on your trees. No need to panic, if you can reach it, pull it apart and let the birds get in there and eat the caterpillars. Water doesn't seem to break it open, you need something like a stick or hook or ?? Don't try to burn it out as you'll damage the tree and perhaps yourself. Finally you can spray the foliage around it with Bt.....Bacillus thuringensis, this is a natural pesticide that kills only caterpillars. You have to apply in the evening as the sunlight rapidly degrades the Bt......and reapply every few days. Bt also works for the bagworms....or those are easily clipped off....they usually aren't bigger than, oh 5 inches.