Saturnia pyri larvae

carlitozik · Edited once, last by carlitozik (May 20, 2017 at 1:47 PM).

Hello! Please can you tell me why newborn Saturnia pyri caterpillars don't want to eat food? They hatched yesterday and still they don't eat. I gave them all i could find. They just creep. Strange behaviour. If they won't eat they will die soon. What to do?

ConnorH

I believe they may start to feed within the first 2 days of hatching. If it's possible try and make sure that they can access the food as much as possible. What host plant are you using.

Kind regards

Connor

Rudi

...and place the container with the caterpillars completely dark for the first days.

carlitozik

ConnorH, thanks for reply! In the beginning i gave them Malus, Cherry plums, Ulmus, Tilia, Betula, Alnus, Acer, Raspberries and hazels... Now i left them only Pyrus communis and some Prunus spinosa. Only a few caterpillars began to feed but others still creep. Sure, they can access the food easily i also put them in three different boxes.

carlitozik

Rudi, thanks for the advice!

Saturn

Have you sprayed them? They will/have to drink before they commence feeding.

carlitozik

Saturn, thanks for the advice! But are you sure? Because I don't want them to get sick. I heard they need dry conditions.

Saturn

That is true for the later instars, but after leaving the egg shell, almost every caterpillar needs some small water droplets to get the digestion system running...

Saturnia pyri larvae

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