Hyles euphorbiae - Wolfsmilchschwärmer - Spurge Hawk-moth - SPHINGIDAE

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/7132/orifiziogenitalemaschil.jpg] 

If you can not see the chrysalis of specific adult, care must be taken to a characteristic present only in males, because males of this species, like those of most Sphingidae have a mechanism to "brake the wing." Nell'attaccatura of the two wings, the male has the mechanism that allows it to fly better and with which the rear wing is always linked to that earlier.

mechanism "brake wing":

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/1761/schemasemplicedelgancio.jpg] 

male:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/9174/frenoalamaschio.jpg] 

female:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/5525/frenoalafemmina.jpg] 

BREEDING:

rearing caterpillars can occur in medium-sized cages. A cage like that for phasmid, ie four walls of tulle, 50 cm high, 40 cm deep and 45 cm long can contain about a dozen or more of end-stage caterpillars (if you can raise up to forty specimens this cage (personally I did with a very low mortality) but some say that an excessive amount of caterpillars per cage affect the size of the adult who tends to be smaller). For the first two stages the caterpillars can be reared in plastic cups like this:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3673/barattolo.jpg] 

MATING:

Mating occurs 4-5 days after birth for both sexes. Mating occurs easily in a cage of 50 cm side (personally, I managed to get in a cage 50cm high, 45cm wide and 40cm long, so I suppose that the coupling can occur even in a cage a little smaller (I've read anywhere that someone manages to get in a cage 30X30X40 but it would be better larger). Inside the cage, place a vase with euphorbia and one with the flowers. A more simple but equally functional, is represented from using a pot with water in which you dip the severed part of flowers and euphorbia. The height of the vase with the flowers and sprigs of spurge should not exceed half the total height of the cage, because, although it is a species that requires little space to mate would be better to assure a space flight.

The coupling, which takes place around midnight, is of short duration and therefore hardly observable. The confirmation of a case pair is given by the discovery of numerous eggs in the morning. The female will continue to lay eggs with a very fast pace during the day coming to testify, which occurs within a few days, 200-250 eggs if the female is larger and is nurtured properly can also give evidence 300 eggs.

Female during the deposition of the eggs:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/8489/deposizione.jpg]

EGGS:

The eggs are almost spherical measuring a length of 1.1 mm and 1.0 mm wide. Are green and are laid in groups of 10-15 but sometimes are laid individually. If the eggs are fertile tend to be light in color (light green) and a few hours before the birth of the caterpillar turn black. Normally the eggs hatch after about ten days but this value decreases to 5-6 days in summer.

eggs:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/5640/uova.jpg] 

LARVAE:

The newborn caterpillars are 3-4 mm long and have a background color black. The caterpillars grow quickly and within a few days in the summer after just two days after birth, are already changing for the second stage.

At the second stage measuring 7-8 mm initially and take on a yellow background color with black blotches inside which there is a white circle placed along the caterpillar. They grow quickly and after just four or five days are already changing.

At the third stage the caterpillar initially measure 15 mm. The background color is always a bright green with the usual black spots inside which there are however more white circles. It grows very quickly and after only 7-8 days after birth is already changing.

In the fourth stage, the caterpillar initially measure 25 mm. The background color remains the same and already after 10-12 days of birth is already changing.

At the fifth stage, the caterpillar measure initially 47mm and the background color tends to veer towards the red. At this stage the caterpillar eats a lot coming to Pupation in just 20 days or so. At the end of this stage the caterpillar measure 70-80mm approaching Pupation of the caterpillar begins to spin up and down the cage looking for a place to do its chrysalis. As for the sphinx, this builds the chrysalis in the ground. You can use this opportunity for a plastic container or a terrarium where you can make within a few inches of soil or peat, because the worm creates its pupal cell near the surface of the soil and therefore do not need more than 10 cm substrate. After about 2-3 days the caterpillar has built its pupal cell, which is very simple compared with that of other sphinxes (consists of only a few silk threads that are not only dropping the soil above the chrysalis) caterpillar emerges from the chrysalis.

The larval stage lasts approximately 30-35 days on average (in the summer period may be reduced up to 20 days).

Caterpillar newborn:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/1553/brucoappenanato.jpg] 

L2:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9804/bruco2stadio.jpg] 

L3:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/5581/3stadio.jpg] 

L4:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2197/bruco4stadio.jpg] 

L5:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7188/5stadio.jpg] 

data regarding the duration of each larval stage and on the total were collected during a herd in August 2010 (the month in which the temperatures were very high). So on a farm in the spring, the duration of each stage will increase.

PUPAE:

the pupae, 40-45mm long and ocher, a cell is built in the caterpillar builds a few inches (2-3 cm but less) deep. The cell is not very robust as those created by other sphinxes. The Pupation lasts only 2 weeks. In nature the species has three generations, one in May, one in July and one in September. Although it is best to leave it where it was made, the pupae can be removed from the substrate until born and can be placed inside a puppeteer will be provided where needed moisture. Furthermore, you can spray water over 2 times per week. But to leave the baby in his cell while keeping the soil moist so that it does not dry too.

Photos of "terrarium" (the pupa is just below the grass, it also used the debris to the surface to create their own cell):

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/5465/terrario.jpg] 

and so...:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/4750/terrariodopo.jpg]

pupae:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/5147/crisalide.jpg] 

ADULTS:

Adults born after two weeks. If you have the latest generation of nymphs (in September-October), the adults emerge in May. I said earlier that the power in this species is essential for its survival as it is a species in which mating does not occur within 48 hours following the flicker of the female and then the flight cage consumes lots of energy. If you do not follow the adults feed directly from flowers in the cage for mating, artificial nutrition may be used. To do this we must prepare a solution of water and honey at a concentration of 10-15%. In some cases I have seen they do not like drinking the same solution and then to induce them to eat better, add a few drops of fish (if they exist), that peeled a peach and then squeeze the peel so that the juice comes out. In this way seem to eat better. We must pour the solution into a cotton ball and using a toothpick or a needle should be checked to try to unwind the spirotromba and put the tip in contact with the solution. The adults are very resistant to the top but must not give in if it is to feed properly. Generally live only a week. During the winter must be kept outside the chrysalis in order to ensure the most natural conditions. Generally females are larger than males for both wingspan that size of the abdomen.

Picture of an adult:
[Blockierte Grafik: http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3341/adulto.jpg]

HOSTPLANTS:

every euphorbiae.

For example:

euphorbia cyparissias:

[Blockierte Grafik: http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/6660/euphorbiacyparissias.jpg]