Posts by kevink

There is a guide book, Foodplants of World Saturniidae, Stephen Stone published in 1991 by the Lepidopterist's Society,

that lists moth species, plant species, and uses a reference system allowing a person to search in exactly the manner of your question,

for example- search for Hedera helix and there will be a list of moths(at the time) known to accept it, common names for trees are

included when known. Might be a hard one to track down, but it's been a good tool for me, although the acceptance of a plant, doesn't mean

it'll produce an adult, still, a good reference book, and one many people might not be aware of.

Unfortunately, at the time of printing, apparently no Saturniidae species were known to accept Hedera. Otherwise, I'd have listed any.

I concur with David,

I have had similar issues with Hyalophora species, although they often die in L3, sometimes they'll go longer.

I have used disinfectant for poultry with some success, but prevention is a better choice. I would have

to guess that hygiene is the issue as well, typically the entire brood is a loss.

Antherina suraka- maybe. I tried them one season and only produced a single adult, the larva weakened, died,

from something similar to the malady being discussed, but I also live in a coastal climate with cool summers, as

compared to what you might expect inland.

Only mendicino is found in Oregon. I use a site called PNW Pacific Northwest Moths for help sometimes.

My hatchings were indoors, data from the PNW site, April is peak flight, although there is some variation with locality.

I have never observed the moth in the wild, many years ago I was gifted some Saturnia mendicino ova, but I've never seen

them offered. Actually, there is a dusting of snow outside right now, from me, Florence is about 80 miles south. Brookings is the spot to go,

or inland a bit towards Itsy bitsy towns like Ruch, I've been kicking around a collecting trip, but it's a long drive for such hard to find moths,

although if you don't go, you definitely won't find any.

Wetter than the Oregon coast? Interesting. I kept my cocoons of the Saturnia outdoors in a small cage with a cover so they wouldn't drown, and brought them indoors in the early spring, I never did get any pairings, but was really only interested in specimens. We get cold weather as well, especially in January and Febuary with occasional snow in March, but it never stays cold,I am right on the ocean in mid-Oregon. My guess is it's temperature that is going to trigger emergence, and being small moths, they probably don't take long.

Unfortunately, the only data I have is when the moths hatched- not when I brought them indoors, presumably sometime in Feb. in any event, I had an eclosion on 2-28 female, 2-29male, and a second male on March 1

I have no idea how to proceed if I was you, I suppose I would set the larger stock out maybe a week or 2 before the smaller.

good luck!

I live on the Pacifici coast of the USA, I am pretty sure that Saturnia walterorum is a native of southern California, and probably never sees any frost. The year I tried this species, I kept them outdoors on the Oregon coast, quite a bit further north, but we see very few frosts as well. If they survived your winter, they should emerge fairly early in spring.

My insight- someone has misinformed you about how to keep Saturnia walterorum.

I've raised dubernardi several times, the most recently, about 130 I reared indoors on Pinus contorta, for pupating,

I place the larva in a plastic box filled with dried sterile sphagnum moos, the larva formed perfect egg shaped cocoons.

What is that you are feeding them? It looks like fir. I have rear that dubernardi will accept fir, but I'm not trying it. Their natural food is

pine. Actias dubernardi is one of the easiest species I have ever raised, except for pairing. Whatever happened sounds like a new issue that

I haven't read about before, I'm waiting for someone to blame inbreeding for one of the most likely inbred species around.(eyeroll)

First I have read about a breeding agreement. Is it a government thing, or between individuals?

Sounds dicey unless it's some legal requirement.

A new development. It's something I have noticed before with extended stay in the cocoon animals. They are in a hurry

apparently, and begin to lay ova almost immediately. My female laid a few ova, which, in my experience means zero chance of

mating, even if I had a male, now maybe it's possible to hand pair such females, but I don't know. I'm not lumping in the

species which can overwinter more than once, that's a different thing.

This issue, could be worthy of it's own post, I would suppose this has happened to other individuals and would be

interested in any comments. So, the only positive, if one could call it that, is that I will have an undamaged specimen.

Well, what a difference a day or so can make.

I'll get a picture later and try to get it posted, but- I have a Epiphora lugardi adult having hatched over night.

It's still getting light here, and I don't see a reason to rush upsetting the cage, it remains unsexed as of yet.

In any event, after over a year, and with a renewed hope from Thomas's post, I gave the cocoons some more moisture and heat yesterday,

and presto!

The moth is a female. I can see that she is calling, perhaps an interesting coincidence that the moth Thomas had hatch is female

as well, I believe it's males that are supposed to hatch first. It does create some possibilities however. Specimens are my primary

goal, and breeding secondary, only because breeding is not a given, and waiting for a second moth can be a mistake sometimes.

Nice that someone had a hatching. My cocoons are still unhatched, soon I will probably open one and see what goes on.

It's pretty clear that the hatching issue with some of the exotics is why you aren't seeing ova offered as often as the diapaused material.

Not for lack of trying, but apparently I am not trying the correct thing. The wall heater and humidifier I have in the cage not doing much

good at all.

They should be ok. You could use tissue to make a cocoon , or I've used empty cocoons before for bare pupa, but if the

moths are going to hatch, they should do so without extra care.

How long were the larva in the mail?

I think normally only L1 and 2 are posted. There could have been some shipping trauma, as well as food

plant differences, even if they fed. Maybe the ones that perished were weaker.

Shipping larva has got to be somewhat problematic, anything could have happened.

I think there is a dubernardi breeder in Canada that's been posting lately on Insectnet

if you want to try importing, I've bought from the individual before and all was ok.

My preferred method is to weigh them with a digital scale, males will typically be lighter than females, of course, you need to keep track of

the weights of each cocoon, and if that's the box(pictured) you have to work with, that might be time consuming. I sometimes use some label attached to the cocoon, or as with pupa, wrap it in paper towel, and I write on that.

I don't like to open cocoons, it's not always simple. I doubt there is any way to tell by sight alone. When I have opened cocoons, it has always been

stressful to me, I'll use a scissors or a razor blade, or both, and a lot can go wrong with either.

I live in the USA, first, nobody here ships larva, that's an EU thing.

As far as ova, I use coin containers for shipping sometimes, if I am using an envelope or bubble mailer, and no padding is

needed, other times, if I am shipping in a box, I use a small deli cup, which also lends itself to having enough room to

hold eggs laid on paper, I use tissue paper for light packing in these instances, and typically tape the cup to the bottom

of the box, surrounded by light packing material, it's probably overkill, as I have received many ova shipments with

eggs rolling around in containers, without any adverse results. I have also used old writing pens, cut into pieces,

or straws inserted into a slot cut into cardboard.

Pictures? I have never photographed an ova container before, or after shipping.

Eggs are simply too light to cause damage to themselves by bouncing about in a container, I like things locked down for

shipping, but it's a choice.

Infertile ova is a fact of life, and unless the percentage of infertile ova is over 50%, complaints are grasping at straws, most people

realize that nothing is absolute, it is a good idea to keep notes of ova , when it's laid, and keep some for fertility determinations.

Worth trying. I have read that Hyalophora males have been attracted to Samia cynthia females, and the ova were infertile, no mention

of other hybrid types.

Quote from Ilyas

Its trustworthy, but it can takes a few months for him to ship as when you buy you basically pre order

Pre order mean this- I don't have the material and will attempt to buy it after I get your money. Nice work if you can get it, and have no ethics.

Speaking in generalities, every species calls for mates at different times of the day or night. That's normal, but, there are endless

abnormal behaviors that happen time to time.

The possibility exists that no males are nearby or present. Typically, males moths hatch first, then the females, but in nature, things

are not always typical.

I have never read about a limited amount of female pheromone, but that doesn't mean it isn't accurate, it does sound implausible however.

Handpairing is usually used on larger animals, although I suppose it's possible.

Well, firstly, those look expired to me. I could be wrong though. If the pupa will come out of the cocoon far enough, try

seeing if they are cold or not, by touching them to your lips. Yes that actually works.

Other than that, it sounds like typical Rothschildia under sub-optimal conditions, I have a single Rothschildia arethusa that

is approaching a 2nd birthday, the other 9 cocoons having hatched sporadically over the last 16 months.

What? PayPal isn't a charity. How do you think they make money, in order to provide a service? by making free transactions for everyone?

Realistically, I don't have any family, or "friends" that I have ever sent money to, clearly, not everyone on the internet is your friend.