Help with attacus Atlas

Toxodera_22

Hi guys.

I'm very new on lepidoptera breeding. I've been rearing my first ones ( attacus atlas) since 2 months or so, from eggs to now. They are L4/L5 now, I think ( in case it is the correct way to name it). No specially difficult, I got a problem now though. While cleaning It's cage, I hurted one of them while moving a stick and a little blue dew gushed out from where the stick scraped it. Is it serious? Will it survive? Can I help it anyway? I feel very sad.

Thanks.

kevink

It will either heal( unlikely) or expire. It depends on the wound.

Moving larva is stressful for all involved. Try just taking whatever they're on and placing it where you

want, you might have to clip a branch, or a leaf. Sometimes you can coax them onto something else,

but even your finger they'll cling to sometimes. It can try a person's patience to be sure.

Toxodera_22

It's not a big wound, but still worried. I hope it will heal. I'll keep informed.

And Yeah, I've seen the point. And I don't usually handle them directly. I just take the brands and cut them if necessary. However, I accidently rubbed a brand with other and one caterpillar was in the place where both brands met each other ( Unfortunately).

Thank you for your answer, Kevin.

kevink

Things happen, and depending on how many larva you have, things can get out of hand easily.

I've mushed more than one caterpillar when I had Papilio polyxenes in the house, changing fennel

for 6 dozen caterpillars not only takes time, there's always one of two larva that don't know- I'm

trying to help you guys.

Good luck with your efforts.

Thomas Kappa

Hello,

Quite curiously, yesterday I accidentally hurt a freshly moulted L3 Lorquiini caterpillar, and it was bleeding. What happened is that while changing their foodplant, I had to take the caterpillar of the branch to my finger and then to the fresh leaves. While taking the caterpillar of the branch, it ripped one of its false hind legs.

What is veery curious is that today I checked on it expecting to find a dead caterpillar, and it was no longer bleeding and acting as nothing happened.

Good luck with your hurt caterpillar,

Thomas

Toxodera_22

Hello Thomas.

For now, mine seems healthy. I think I just was lucky, since the day after It was hurted It molted. And the wound seem to have dissapeared as it happened.I want to wait and see how does it progress though. I hope it doesn't get worse for It in the future again.

On the other hand, Very happy to read your caterpillar turned okay.

Thank you,

Regards.

Thomas Kappa

Hi Hector,

I'm glad to know your caterpillar moulted. Maybe it will be ok.

Thank you, I am actually now filming a time-lapse of another lorquiini that is moulting!

I hope your caterpillar gets on well.

Also good luck with raising them to adults, and I hope that you will continue with your breedings

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