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Overwintering Argynnis Eggs and Young Larvae

These instructions apply to species such as Argynnis paphia and Argynnis aglaja.

Initial Setup

Place the eggs or newly hatched larvae in a small container with fine ventilation holes (for example, a box used for live crickets).

Add a small amount of substrate:

• A loose tuft of fibers from a Trachycarpus palm is ideal
• Coconut fiber can also be used, but keep it light and airy
• Do not use leaves, as they tend to develop mold

Put the eggs or larvae into this container and leave them undisturbed for about one week:

• For A. aglaja: at least one week after hatching
• For A. paphia: about one week after receiving the larvae

This period allows the larvae to find a suitable place to settle for overwintering (diapause).

Cold Period (Diapause)

After this initial week, place the container in a refrigerator.
The vegetable drawer is usually ideal.

Care during this period:

• Lightly mist the palm fibers once per week
• Allow the substrate to dry out between mistings

⚠️ Important balance:

• If it stays wet → ventilation is too low → risk of mold
• If it dries within a day → ventilation is too high

The cold period should last:

• 6–10 weeks total
• 10 weeks is preferable, as shorter periods increase the risk of incomplete diapause

After Overwintering

After the cold period, remove the larvae from the refrigerator and transfer them to a rearing setup with Viola (violets), their host plant.

A practical setup:

• A small container with palm fibers on the bottom
• A few Viola leaves provided in a small florist water tube (e.g., 2cc with rubber cap)
• Cover the container with breathable material such as pantyhose for good ventilation

Care:

• Lightly mist every other day so the larvae can drink
• This becomes less important from the L2–L3 stages onward

Further Rearing

After a few molts (L2/L3), the larvae can be moved to a larger enclosure with live potted Viola plants.

Care of Adult Butterflies

After pupation, the butterflies of Argynnis paphia and Argynnis aglaja will emerge after approximately 3–4 weeks.

Place the adults in a flight cage (around 40 × 40 × 60 cm).
Provide food by offering cotton soaked in a 10% sugar solution.

After a few days, the butterflies will usually mate.

Egg Laying Setup

Once mated, females can be placed individually in a smaller container prepared as follows:

• Add a loose layer of Trachycarpus palm fibers
• Place a Viola leaf underneath the fibers (not on top)

⚠️ Important:
The leaf must be hidden under the fibers. If it is exposed, females will lay eggs directly on the leaf, which can later develop mold in the refrigerator.
The goal is to have eggs laid on the palm fibers, not on the leaf.

Keep the container at:

• 23–25°C
• Out of direct sunlight (to prevent overheating)

Egg Laying and Feeding

After a few days, females will lay a significant number of eggs.

• Feed the butterflies daily with fresh 10% sugar solution
• Check regularly for egg laying on the fibers

I don't have any personal experiences with this plant myself.
But I would say that you should bring it inside and place it in a windowsill.
Water it from time to time but do not overwater. if the plant is to big I don't think its a problem to prune it.

The spider mites should be killed with some biological insecticides such as Pyrethrum which break down in a week and do not enter the plant itself. Next to that spraying the plant a few times a week will prevent spider mites from becoming a plague.

Hallo,

Kann jemanden mir hilfen mit der eiablage von m stellatarium?
Ich habe eine weibchen gefangen das ein ei ablegte.
Ich habe sie im meinen gewachshaus, mit lantana etc.
Ich habe da auch futterplanzen in gesets.
Wolt sie das finden un eier ablegen?
Oder muss ich sie in einen käfig mit futterpflanzen setzen?

Habe jemanden erfahrung mit der eiablage?

danke im vorraus

Probably Samia and Acherontia atropos.

Hello,

I want to make artificial feed for a test at school, experimenting with different ingredients.
Only 1 problem we have is the availability of Wesson's salt mix.
Is there an alternative? or where can i get it.
I can only order from the US for over $100

Thanks

Hi there,

Has anyone have any experience with breeding this species?
Is there only one generation, and do they mate after winter or before?
And after winter, how do you get the females to lay eggs?

Regards

Hi there,

I have caught a female Genopteryx rhamni.
Has anyone got experience with the ovipositing of these butterflies?

Thanks in advance

It's more depending on the person who handles them.
Some people will react more heavily to the caterpillar, and some will not react to it.

Both true, because they both belong to machaon, and will have the same amount of chromosomes, there would always be some fertile.
The only strange was, that the polish x polish did gave fertile eggs.
So the females might not been fertile from themselves, but what could have caused this?

But the butterflies had a different size and color, poland were some more white, spanish were Yellow, and the coloration of the blue was also different.
I mated spain x belgium before, without problems!

Overwintered them in the fridge, at 2-5 degrees,
Took out the half of them in march, had a pairing that time, and last week.
Eggs just do not change color, while poland x poland hatched in march, and spain x spain too!

Hello there,

I'm breeding p machaon since a few years, this year, I wanted to add some new blood to my bloodline.
So I got some out of Poland, other ones were Spain.
Now I crossed those 2, but, not one eggs hatched, or even changed color.

Is it possible, that due to genetic difference, these 2 are not fertile?
It happened with 2 different females, with different males, so it wasn't just by purpose!

I think the best ones are Papilio polytes, papilio bianor, dryas julia..
Thy mate easy, and the ovipositing is very easy.

Make them a good home, to place flowers on different corners, with this, you will reduce the urge of flying right to the light.
When you created that, they will fly on hights like 1,5-2m, male's patrouiing, females feeding.

Look out with the temperatures, i had days of 60 degrees in my greenhouse.. result.. dead butterflies.

Good luck!

Malus, Salix are exellent plants for Cecropia.

Hello,

This depends on your specie, a butterfly will be able to mate after 2 weeks, but a saturnid mostly can't.
So, please name your specie, and the awnser can be given

Max, I first want to say, that there are enought topics about the atropos feeding, just search the forum.

But you have to do this good once, and than you can do it.
Take the moth ( after 3 days ) in your fist, your thumb will make a small cage with just it's head coming out.
Take a needle, rollout the tongue, and put it in a spray, than keep him thight, and after a few seconds he will find out it's food, and he will become chill.

Again, you will have to force them.

Maybe under a tree, or another place which is not covered with snow..

Nächstes Jahr werde es versuchen ..
Doch kurze Zeit? In Spanien können Sie einfach eine Menge Licht Stunden?
Oder sind die Raupen versteckt unter Blättern convovulvus?

Henri,

I remember me being in the same position as you, Hyles euphorbiae moves like a crazy, but ligustri.. no single sign
I think it has to do with the diapause, Euphorbiae has a other diapause than ligustri.
Ligustri goes in diapause, whatever you do.. euphorbiae will hatch if not putted could..

Am I thinking right?