The species you are referring to is likely the Polyphemus moth, which spins a white, papery cocoon that resembles cotton. This species is native to North America and belongs to the silk moth family. The cocoon is usually found hanging from tree branches or other structures.
Polyphemus moths typically live for about 1-2 weeks as adults. They spend most of their life cycle as a caterpillar and cocoon before emerging as a moth for a short period to reproduce.
The Cinnabar Moth will stay in their cocoon for a period of nine months. They cocoon themselves in the early summer and do not emerge from the cocoon until the next spring.
1 week
The Spotted Apatelode Moth goes through complete metamorphosis. It takes a little more than two weeks for the moth to reach the cocoon stage.
5 ~ 6 weeks
Silk fibers are obtained from the cocoon of silk larvae, larvae of the silk moth, which are spun from the cocoon into one, long thread.
egg, catterpillar, cocoon, moth
Well it depends what kind of yellow caterpillar you are talking about, if the one you are suggesting about is the size and thickness of your thumb, then yes it is, it's proper name is a "Polyphemus Moth Caterpillar". Polyphemus eat maple, birch, willow and several other trees, but are seldom abundant enough to cause any damage. As big as they are, they are really hard to see among the foliage when they're resting. As with many caterpillars that leave the food plant to spin a cocoon, Polyphemus are sometimes seen wandering around in late summer. This caterpillar spins a tough, brown, oval cocoon that you may find attached to the eaves around your house during the winter.
A silkworm comes out of the silk cocoon as a moth, if its life is allowed to complete a full cycle.
Butterflies are the animals that live in a cocoon for part of their life cycle. They undergo metamorphosis inside the cocoon, transforming from a caterpillar into a butterfly.
The accepted scientific name is Antheraea polyphemus.