Beiträge von luna moth

I really wanted some native Speyria cats this fall but all my females died without laying eggs :c

Happy Breeding!

Hello Leo,

This is why I almost never buy eggs XD. I have never had I. lathonia so I do not have any experience with them but plenty of things like this have occurred like with my Pearl crescent eggs and Virginica tiger moths. Sorry this happened but there isn’t much that can be done. I’d probably separate the cats immediately from the eggs.

Regards,

Ethan

FinnK

No, no problem. I was just confused why you said. No need to be sorry. We all make mistakes :).

FinnK

I've never heard of this. Butterflies tend to love grapefruit and especially oranges.

- I'd recommend, like Merlin said, sugar/ honey solution or fruit. That gives much more energy than flowers.

Couldn’t you ask the same question about N. antiopa, P. comma, P. c-album, A. utricae? They are used to overwintering as adults but if you kept them alive and moving during the late fall and winter, what would happen?

Yes, that is a dark form female. You have a rather special aberrant individual. I’ve only seen one of these in the wild.

Regards,

Ethan

Hello everyone,

So as it gets near the end of the season for Speyeria cybele, they start to lay their eggs. I netted 3 today. I also bought 2 pots of Common Violet, their host. However, 1 started flapping on the floor and stopped flying. Now, it appears to be dead. I had another one do this but it seemed to recover. Does anyone have any experience with this? This has happened before with Speyeria spp. Can anyone explain it?

Thanks,

Ethan

Hello,

I was deciding between Automeris zozine and Automeris iris. I believe it is A. zozine.

It has been a strange year for Vanessa virginensis. I’ve only seen about 4 in May when I usually see many of them. I don’t think they would have any shorter hatch time than V. cardui. I haven’t had much luck with them in terms of breeding but they have an exceptionally long lifespan.

Hello everyone,

Back around 2015 or so a very strange migration took place close to we're I live. Around the city, many Mourning cloaks, Vanessa atalanta, and Vanessa virginiensis swarmed in large groups and looked as if they were migrating. Strange behavior like this seems to happen every 5-8 years or so. Possibly similar phenomena could take place. So much of their migration patterns are unknown.

Ethan

Ok, thanks!

This may sound like a stupid question but I’ve seen them hibernate under rocks sitting in there side barely moving. How do you tell if they died from temp? Can you bring them back if you put them inside.

When you mean losses, do you mean by the mice and other scavengers.

Hello Holger,

I’m afraid we’re I live, lows could be in -26 degrees C. My garage isn’t heated but it’s sheltered. Plus, The heating from inside would keep it a constant 10 degrees warmer. It’s also a dark place. I would bring them in around mid-March.

I feed them a lot of banana and other high sugar fruits and also honey. Would this be enough calories to survive? Also, would you recommend feeding say every 2 weeks to stay healthy? Usually, you can find Nymphalis spp and Polygonia hiding in wood/ garages.

Hello,

So I have (and going to have) some hibernating butterflies. They include- Nymphalis antiopa, vaulbum, Polygonia comma, progne, Aglais io, and Vanessa atalanta.

I have gotten some conflicting information on V. atalanta. Either it hibernates or it doesn’t. Where I live, winter can get below 0 in January. Would this be too cold for any of the previously mentioned species? I was thinking of keeping them in the garage where it’s 15-20 degrees warmer.

I am not familiar with hibernating live butterflies so if anyone has information, it would be gladly appreciated.

Thank you,

Ethan

Also, any parasite will result in improper forming of the butterfly. It happens quite a bit so don’t feel bad. There is nothing you can do once a parasite is in.

Hi Seffi,

In all my experience, if the butterfly can not get itself out of the pupae, the wings will never fully form. Unfortunately, when they are this deformed they never live more than a day. Maybe if your lucky the butterfly’s proboscis will form and you can feed it.

Regards,

Ethan

Hi,

If I wet the eggs, they will be ok? Also, the pencil will not harm them?

Hello,

I had a Phyciodes tharos female lay eggs at the bottom of my mesh flight cage. It is a cluster of about 20 eggs. Is there any way I can safely move these eggs to there host plant?

Thank you!

Ethan