what is it

[ACE]

Now it might not be a pest, but this seemed the best pace to put it. I was clearing some old pots out in the greenhouse when I came across dozens of these in a pot full of dry compost. They look like cigar butts and have crysalis of sorts (picture right) inside of each one. They are really well made and have at least 6  layers of leaf around each one and a little plug of perfectly round plugs made of leaf layers. This is a new one on me.

[ACE]

[Unwashed]

They do look remarkably like cigar butts don't they.  Some kind of moth or butterfly I'd guess.  How big are they?

[Unwashed]

What about leaf cutter bees?

[dazem11]

Hi looks like leaf cutting Bee, i have them in the Garden and greenhouse. Harmless in my view.

[ACE]

Good, I will put them somewhere where hopefully they can survive.

[pigeonseed]

funny - there's a parallel thread where Squash64 talks about having leafcutter bees in her greenhouse, and quite a few people described finding 'cigars' in the soil.

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,61518.0.html