Posts by Prem63

Hi,

Sadly I agree with the others. This is so disappointing and so typically starts to hit when the caterpillars get big.

Wash everything down with dilute bleach. Leave out in bright sunlight UV light is very good at killing pathogens.

Hygiene is important. Wash your hands etc.

Divide the caterpillars into smaller batches, so as not to put all your eggs in one basket.

Transmission can even be from female to egg and some people was the eggs in very dilute bleach, but I have never tried

It is also possible that the pathogens are from wild insects and transmitted on the collected leaves and again these can be washed, although I have never tried that either.

Like Kevin I have found Hyalophora especially difficult which is a real pity as they are fantastic.

I wish you good luck and try to not be dis-heartened.

Best wishes

Prem

Hi Karl

Thank you for directing me to the previous thread.

I think hand luggage is best. The hold is Ok, but I think on long haul can get cold, although I suppose if nicely wrapped up in insulation should be Ok

A few years ago, I did have a poor hatch rate of eggs that I put in hold after a long haul flight.

Sometimes it is bad luck

Best wishes

Prem

Dear friends,

What do people think is the best way to transport butterfly/moth eggs on a long distance air flight?

In hand luggage?

In the hold?

Would the eggs be exposed to more radiation from scanners in the hold or in hand luggage?

Any thoughts

Best wishes

Prem

Liebe Freunde,

Was ist Ihrer Meinung nach die beste Art, Schmetterlings-/Motteneier auf einem Langstreckenflug zu transportieren?

Im Handgepäck?

Im Frachtraum?

Wären die Eier im Frachtraum oder im Handgepäck einer stärkeren Strahlung durch Scanner ausgesetzt?

Irgendwelche Gedanken?

Viele Grüße

Prem

Hi Daniel. Yes I agree Callambulyx junonia. This also occurs in northeast India. I have seen it in nagaland. If you can get some eggs it will probably feed on something quite easy such as elm or willow or apple. I hope you find more interesting species. You are in one of the most biodiverse places in the world.

Best wishes

Prem

Hi Daniel

Check out Bart Coppen's YouTube footage of a Salassa caterpillar from Vietnam

Best wishes

Prem

Hi Daniel

Great finds

The saturnid is a Salassa species

The sphingid is a Callambulyx species.

What was the hindwing like?

Try Moths of India website

I will try again tomorrow

Best wishes

Prem

Hi Emil,

I have tried and I am still trying to grow tropical aristolochia. A tagala and A indica

They are difficult and really do need year round warmth.

This is often the way with truly tropical plants.

Last year I had 6 A.tagala, from seed, they grew to 2 meters

They died in the winter. It was too cold for too long in the conservatory.

I think they need a night minimum of 10 and a day minimum of 20+. This is because these are the minimums in tropical countries, indeed for many the minimums are even higher.

I am trying again.

The seeds can be difficult also. They can be very sporadic and unpredictable

I got mine from rarepalmseeds.

Another place to try is

treefromseed

Based in India. I had the seeds sent to me when I went to India, They may send to EU/UK

A. macrophylla grows well in the UK but I have not tried it as a foodplant.

Good luck

Prem

Hi Manfred

Danke

I will keep them outdoors where it is a little cool at the moment, but that is normal for April.

Prem

Dear friends,

Just a quick question

How many days do the eggs of Aglia tau take to hatch? This is the first time with this species. My guess is two weeks.

The eggs will be laid tonight. I had a pairing today.

These will be in a cool sheltered are outdoors in England, where the weather is predicted to be cool and rainy for the next couple of weeks.

I ask because I am going away from the 5th April until the 15th of April

Thank you and best wishes

Prem

Hi

The plant is Turnera and is related to passiflora. In SE Asia Cethosia feed on Turnera. The butterfly is Lampides boeticus and usually take the flowers and seed pods of Leguminous plants. I don't think it feeds on Turnera.

bw.

Prem

Hello Merlin,

Thank you for your helpful reply.

A. grandiflora is also available here, so I think I will try to get a plant.

I will have a look at the book later.

I was wanting to try the Common Rose, it has the relatively slow careful flight that will do well in a polytunnel, I think.

I am not ambitious enough to try Troides etc and I bet they eat a lot.

Best wishes

Prem

Hi Everyone.

My question is about tropical butterflies that feed on Aristolochia. My 6 one year old A.tagala plants that were very growing nicely have probably died in the conservatory. This is my fault, I should have brought them into the house. A tagala does not like getting cold and it has been cloudy and raining for a month here in England.

I have A. durior and A. sempervirens. Will South -east Asian Pachliopta feed on either of these? Will South American Parides take either of these,

Any advice will be very welcome

Prem (in England)

Hi looKS like podalirius. It must have overwintered as a pupa on the garden bowl.

Hi. Regarding pavonia. The best way to attract the Moths is to get some cocoons, they may still be available and when a female emerges she will attract the males. They will pair easily it has always worked for me and I live surrounded by open farmland. A heathland would be even better.

Hi Nico, Burncoose nurseries in England have P. Lenticus. We used to go to Alicante in Spain as children. The plant is common there, but does not appear fast growing, but Alicante is very dry. Best of luck. Prem

Hi Ethan, thank you for your reply. Yes, I agree neither will tolerate frost.

I think I will try to keep them going in the polytunnel as long as possible and then in a large cage. If they can, in one stage or the other get through to March (that is a long way off) then they can start again.

Best wishes

Prem

Dear colleagues,

Has anyone got experience or advice about overwintering pupae, in the UK, of Papilio polytes and Cethosia cyane.

If you do, please let me know.

I am not optimistic about it.

Kind regards

Prem

Hi. I have tried to overwinter dubernardii. I kept them in a frost free shed in central England from November to march. It was not successful. Many of the pupae had formed, but failed to hatch. I suspect the natural habitat does get quite cool and dry in the short winter. Day time temperature 15 to 20. Night 5 to 10 similar to the Himalayas at 1500m.

Best wishes Prem

Hi. It is tempting to try these small and delayed caterpillars and seems cruel not to try. But I think that often these delayed and small caterpillars have been infected with something and this infection can spread to all the caterpillars which can be a disaster. It is best not to try , or if you really want to, keep them separated . Best wishes Prem

Hi Nils. Mid April is not unusual. The moth had been flying in southern England for about 2 weeks. I have seen them as late as early June also. The gregarious young caterpillars are easy on plum, blackthorn or hawthorn. Plum is best as there are no thorns. In the 4th and 5th instars they can be prone to disease. Keep the population density low in the wild they wander away from each other. I usually let most of mine go and keep a dozen or so for the following year. Best wishes Prem