Yes, it is definitely possible to breed them all year long. Vanessa cardui breeds in southern europe all year long and as it is a migratory species the populations in middle to northern europe are immigrants from southern europe. So it is also possible to breed them year round given the right conditions. But probably the conditions in your breeding at this time of the year were not suitable for breeding. Maybe the temperature was too low, they had to few light (short days) or maybe the food plant quality of the caterpillars was a problem. As the adults were rather small the latter point might have been a problem. Maybe also the day length could have been a problem. Some migratory sphingids seem to be infertile with the wrong day lengths, but I don't know if this is a problem for Vanessa cardui. I rather don't think that temperature or light level are problematic points as Vanessa species are usually pairing in the evening where temperature and light level are anyways rather low.
Hi,
Vanessa cardui will feed on artifical food also. Maybe that could solve the feed problem in winter.
Good luck,
Rudi
Hi Monja,
here are two recipes on ACTIAS for Sphinigidae.
Rezept für Kunstfutter zur Sphingidenzucht
Breeding Acherontia atropos on artificial diet
Maybe they will also work for cardui.
Otherwise just search for "Kufu" in the stock market search function and contact the provider.
VG
Rudi
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