30-foot-cocoon mystery in Myrtle Beach solved

A viewer contacted News13 on Monday about a large cocoon that formed on a tree in her Myrtle Beach yard. Joan Errickson wanted to know what may have made the 30-foot-cocoon, if it’s dangerous, and what to do about it. Since the story aired on News13, a number of viewers have called and emailed with what they think is in the cocoon.

But now, the cocoon mystery is officially solved.

Ben Powell, a natural resource agent with the Clemson extension in Conway, says psocoptera, commonly known as “bark lice”, created the webbing. This is a relatively uncommon group of insects because he says they don’t cause many problems. Powell says they don’t pose health or agricultural concerns, but can be dangerous to books. He says they tend to eat the bindings of books and often show up in libraries and museums.

The silk web they created is formed to protect them from predators and is not dangerous to the tree. Powell says the bark lice web is less coarse than caterpillar-webs, and only show up on the trunks of trees-not on branches or foliage.

He recommends not getting rid of the webbing if it shows up on a tree because it is not dangerous to the tree or to humans. While Powell cannot confirm the exact species of pscoptera on the tree, he says they are about the size of a pin-head and wingless. Because of their size, determining the exact species would require a compound microscope.

Powell says these webs are likely seasonal, popping up more frequently towards the end of summer and beginning of fall. But also says they are around all year long, just more visible in the cooler months.