Antheraea polyphemus best host plant

Giacomoaksnes

Hi guys,i'm from italy and i had a bad experience to raise polyphemus silk moth.

I used the silver birch ( Betula pendula) but i obteined a great loss and small adults.

Which host plant do you use?

I was thinking about some american trees like silver maple ( A.saccharinum), red oak ( Quercus rubra) and paper birch ( Betula papyrifera).
These ones are very common here like ornamental trees ( except Betula papyrifera)
Thank you.
Giacomo

kevink

Polyphemus accepts a lot of different trees, I've used Alnus rubra here, but your list should be working.
I have noticed a little difference in the approach that people use, and that might be making a difference.
Sleeving is always the best, having living leaves, and when using cut, I always will keep my cut branches in fresh water,
and with certain trees even that can be problematic, I'm having intermittent issues with cherry branches
indoors, some plants just don't do well after being cut.

Metropolis60

I have best results on Oak pin oak, red oak
Common Oak is not so good bit dry and papery american oak is good

suparmani

Hi Giacomo,
we did rear twice using Evergreen Oak (Quercus x ?hispanicus) and the second rearing on Himalaya Birch (Betula utilis). Cocoons bigger when using oak. Outdoors rearing even at 10°C and heavy rain, not one lost!
Ulrich

Prem63

Hello Giacomo,
I have always used oak, Quercus robur and they do well. I have tried others such as willow and aspen and apple, but they would not take it. Hornbeam, Carpinus and beech, Fagus may
be worth trying. From L3 onwards they need space and do not like overcrowding
Prem

Giacomoaksnes

thanks at all

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