A. dubernardi hibernation

hsparre

Hello!

I´m breeding Actias dubernardi at the moment and have larva in instar 3 and 4 feeding well on pinus sylvestris. My question is for how long dubernardi usually hibernates ? I´m living in sweden and I have heard the the pinus we have here goes dormant in winter, and wont work as feedingplant during that time. This means I would have to keep the pupae in hibernation until march or april. Is that possible? or too long? Would be most greateful for advise.

/H

moe

Hej Hannu,

breeding A. dubernardi in winter is no problem. In fact my most succesful breeding of this species took place in december/january (could of course be coincidence, but nevertheless it works). So any information about P. sylvestris not working as food plant during winter is simply not true.

I live in Munich and the temperature drops down to -15°C to -20°C during winter. I kept the pupae in a garden house with no special isolation. They all survived under these conditions and hatched in the beginning of may.

I don't know the climate in your place, but maybe this information helps a little!

Hej då,
moe

sjusovare

sorry to intrude in the conversation, but, on the other hand, is there a trick to make them go out of hibernation, because the 2/3rd of my pupae (only some males emerged) remain dormant since... last march :s
I opened a coccon to see if they were dead and all seem fine but they just sit there waiting I don't know what.

Julien

hsparre

Zitat von moe

Hej Hannu,
breeding A. dubernardi in winter is no problem. In fact my most succesful breeding of this species took place in december/january (could of course be coincidence, but nevertheless it works). So any information about P. sylvestris not working as food plant during winter is simply not true.
I live in Munich and the temperature drops down to -15°C to -20°C during winter. I kept the pupae in a garden house with no special isolation. They all survived under these conditions and hatched in the beginning of may.
I don't know the climate in your place, but maybe this information helps a little!
Hej då,
moe

Hej Moe!

Tack så mycket! I´ll try to keep them sheltered outdoors then. We sometimes get temperatures down to -20 in january- february, sometimes even lower. Being a mountainspecies I guess they would survive then. How about moisture ?. Have been reading a lot about how important it is to keep them moist and spray them from time to time. Any experiences on that ?

/H

moe

@Hannu,
In fact, I don't know what actually the lowest temperature was, my pupae were exposed to. So please don't take too much risk! Concerning moisture, are you talking about pupae or caterpillars?

@Julien
I don't know if there is anything that can trigger development. Most likely it should be higher temperatures. But maybe diapause is already induced in larval stages. Then there is nothig that could be done. But as there are some breeders who offered eggs in december, maybe someone can tell what to do.

Cheers,
moe

hsparre

Zitat von moe

@Hannu,
In fact, I don't know what actually the lowest temperature was, my pupae were exposed to. So please don't take too much risk! Concerning moisture, are you talking about pupae or caterpillars?
@Julien
I don't know if there is anything that can trigger development. Most likely it should be higher temperatures. But maybe diapause is already induced in larval stages. Then there is nothig that could be done. But as there are some breeders who offered eggs in december, maybe someone can tell what to do.
Cheers,
moe

Hi Moe!

I meant moisture for the pupae :)!. The catepillars seem to be doing fine in a sealed plastic box with a moist towel on the bottom

/H

ArGeNtUm

Hello!

Pupa hibernates at temperatures around +3 C. Cocoon in the winter should not be much wetter, but must be wetter in the spring and especially in April when just before hatching.

Jevgenij

Serge

Zitat von ArGeNtUm

Hello!
Pupa hibernates at temperatures around +3 C. Cocoon in the winter should not be much wetter, but must be wetter in the spring and especially in April when just before hatching.
Jevgenij

Pupae of dubernardi usually don't hibernate at all and I don't recommend anybody to do this, if he does not want to lose livestock. Also I don't believe that cocoons survive under -20C! In my personal test they resist something around -8-10C below zero and die, if frost is stronger! Pupae must be in wet conditions all the time, if you don't want lose livestock. The main conditions initiating diapause in this species are light and humidity, but not temperature like ArGeNtUm wrote! He lost his livestock very quickly as I know.

If you have any questions concerning Actias dubernardi, you can contact me.

ArGeNtUm

hsparre

Zitat von ArGeNtUm

Thank´s. I´ll try some different conditions (but not too swedish temperatures ) for them them and see what works best. Read somewhere that pupations works well if done in moist moss. That sounds like the conditions according to last suggestion bu Serge. Will try that too. .

Thank´s again!

/H

Serge

You can be sure, because I had reared over 15 broods of this species in captivity. Also I have the best experience with Actias chapae - I am only who proceed until moths with this species!

hsparre

Zitat von Serge

You can be sure, because I had reared over 15 broods of this species in captivity. Also I have the best experience with Actias chapae - I am only who proceed until moths with this species!

I´ll get back to you on breeding advice :)!. Any chapae eggs to sell by chance?

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