Archon apollinus: conditions affecting development of the adult inside the pupa?

Klaas

In 2011 I collected a number of Archon apollinus ssp. drusica caterpillars in southern Syria. Almost all caterpillars pupated
successfully and none were parasitized. This spring many adults started developing inside the pupa, but almost all of them
died inside the pupa as apparently fully developed adults (pupae kept between 15-30 degrees Celsius). This was a major
disappointment for me. I have no idea about the cause, but I still kept some hope that other dormant pupae would produce
adults in spring 2013.

Recently however, 8 adults have started developing (A. apollinus seems to have an autumn generation as well). The first 2 pupae
that lost their translucency, turned almost black some days ago. They both contained a dead adult, almost fully developed, soaking
in a dark fluid. The other pupae may still be alive, but for how long?

Has anyone ever encountered this problem with Archon apollinus or other Papilionidae pupae? Currently I'm keeping the pupae at 20-25
degrees and quite dry. Should I keep them colder and more humid (as A. apollinus flies in early sping, soon after the snow has melted)
or warmer (as many fully developed adults died without hatching from pupae and as the day temperatures during the flight period can easily
exceed 25 degrees in southern Syria)? I'm very interested in all opinions and/or hints!

Regards, Klaas

Dracoline

I have no idea about this species in particular, but butterflies need some humidity for hatching.
Maybe they couldn't hatch properly, as it was too dry, so the ready developed butterflies hadn't the power to hatch and dried out in the pupae.

Jürgen 0211

Hallo Klaas,

as you know, my hobby is to rear and photograph Aristolochia-butterflies.
Several times I had similar problems with pupae of Zerynthia as you:
The pupae developed, became translucent, but they did not emerge, and died fully developed in the pupa. But they were always only a few pupae, the others emerged in a good quality.
The reason for this problem could be, that they were spread with water, when they were just translucent.
Immediately before emerging they should not be spread with water.
But also without spreading, I had such problems too. I don´t know, why.
I hope the rest of your pupae will emerge without problems.

Greetings
Jürgen

Rudi

Hello Klaas.

I had the same problem this year with many pupae of my Sphingid-breedings.
This year specially with Paonias myops, Laothoe populi, some Sphinx ligustri and all of my Aglia tau.

I think it were to humidity at the time they would hatching out. But I never spread them directly with water.
But thats my personally speculation only.

The years before I had the same problem with other specis which were hatching out this year without any problems.
So the reason shouldn´t be the specis of butterfly/moth, but rather any from outside.
Temperature, humidity or anything else at malapropos.

Rudi

Klaas

Frances, Jürgen and Rudi, thank you very much for your comments. The past days I tried the following: I kept the pupae
at roughly 30 degrees Celsius at 100% humidity. I realize that these conditions can be harmful to the pupae, but it is the
only combination of temperature and humidity that I haven't tried with Archon apollinus in the past. The frustrating part
of this breeding, is that I have reared A. apollinus bellargus without any troubles with a hatching rate of >90%!

The first pupae have started to get darker and the surface of the wings has started to weaken. This is what I would expect to
happen shortly before hatching, but it might just as well indicate that the pupae have died. I will wait until the last pupa has
hatched/died and then I will write a breeding report for actias.de.

Regards,
Klaas

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