Posts by Ashleymoths

  • New book on lepidoptera breeding.

    Quote from matronula

    OK, I’ll try to explain what I mean. There’s no information about this book; there’s just one page with a photo of Aglais io. I’d expect one page dedicated to the species, at least one page with text about the species, and at least one page with photos.

    Ah, ok. There is ten species in the whole book. The book is 160 pages. Awash with colour photos and the most detailed breeding reports i have ever seen featured in any book. I'll try get some sample pages....in this first edition there's lycaena dispar, m stellatarum, c croceous,s w-album,s pavonia, plus others

  • Limenitis populi over winter.

    Quote from matronula

    Hello Simon,

    you should try to overwinter the larvae in the hibernation boxes in a way that mimics their natural environment. This means keeping them outdoors, ideally in the shade and exposed to the elements. It is important that the hibernation boxes do not remain dry for long periods. It is therefore a good idea to spray them at least once a week. In spring, once the food plant has leaves, spray the hibernation box several times a day so that the caterpillar can take in water and leave the hibernation box.

    Best wishes
    Georg

    Hi Gorg, have you successfully over wintered them?

  • Limenitis populi over winter.

    Hi, I know how to over winter Antiopa, but its the populi i am looking for information on. They over winter as a larvae and require different conditions....thanks....S

  • Nymphalis antiopa

    Quote from Speyeria123

    Assuming it is comparable to the States, it really depends on the climate and weather. Generally, by early to mid-April, most populations are out and beginning to court. They will feed on warm days earlier though.

    What is your setup for overwintering?

    Hi, I believe this species has different habits whether from USA or Europe....even though they are the same species... But i m hoping for a warm Springtime to try and achieve a pairing...

  • Endromis versicolora Flugzeit

    Anytime in March, and if you bring them into warmer areas and spray well with rain water they respond. I always have pupa covered in moss to aid emergence from pupa and to maintain humidity once they are at a higher temperature. I think in the wild varies much,much more than in captivity.

  • Cossus cossus

    Notes on the Goat Moth.

    The Goat Moth, Cossus cossus, is different from many of your standard moth species in that it’s larvae remain hidden from view their entire development. In the wild they feed up on dead and dying willow and poplar trees, taking several years to mature. However in captivity, with a bit of thought, they can be reared right through in a single year. Whenever I raised this species I did so in my old garage, which was sort of cool in summer and yet not too freezing in winter. Plastic tubs are ideal, as if you use wood the larvae can chew out, as their teeth are very sharp and powerful, obviously chewing through wood is what they’re designed for! Ova hatch after a couple of week, with tiny red larvae setting off to search for somewhere to burrow into. In the wild this would be a stump, but I gave them a swede cut in half and they took to that easily. What I actually did was to hollow a little bit of the lower part of the swede (turnip) out and place a few larvae in before covering it up with the lid. Sort of trapping them inside, and it really worked. I then placed the swede in a plastic tub on top of hardwood sawdust, or sometimes some peat. The very next day I had a little peek and all larvae has vanished into the swede, which was exactly what I wanted. Now, I know there’s other methods, and I’d tried a few, such as using apple and brown bread and beetroot. However I found swede the best, it holds its shape for longer and doesn’t descend into a sopping wet mess like apple does. These larvae feed well, eating a large amount, and I added ‘new’ swede as I went. This was done by placing halved swedes onto the remains of the eaten one, and the larvae soon burrowed into the new one. They grow quickly, and look a formidable sight with their deep red bodies and their shiny black jaws. I never got bitten by one, but I reckon it would have hurt! As winter came along the larvae seemed to stop feeding and I left them until the following spring. They seem to spend the cold months in a very loosely spun cell of shredded swede. As the worst of the winter came to an end and the days warmed the plump larvae made a pupal cell in which to metamorphose. The larvae would build the cell from whatever substrate was available, be it sawdust or soil, and inside it settled down to pupate. A few weeks later and I was greeted one morning with the first of many imago sat on the mesh of the emergence cage. The very next night these started pairing, which required no input from me, apart from leaving the window ajar. Although I have had much success getting female moths to lay in unfurnished cages I placed a few pieces of willow bark in the cage too just to see if there was any difference. The cage top and sides were splattered with eggs and there was quite a few laid on the bark also. But all things considered I don’t think bark is needed. The ova take the standard few weeks to hatch and the cycle repeats itself once more. This species is wonderful, the larval stage really must be experienced to believe how interesting it is and it’s a species I’d strongly recommend everyone to try and rear at least once in their lifetime.