Actias dubernardi and Pinus - looking for breeding results

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    Zitat von Lukasz14

    As we know that beautiful moths feed on Pinus, not only sylvestris, but also accepts e.g. nigra. But in its habitat it doesn't have nigra, so my question is can that way of keeping this moth on P. nigra affect its size? I mean, if feeding caterpillars on plant that they have got in China will bring better results?

    Hello,


    I have A dubernardi. I feed them on Picea Glaucus. ( Christmas tree with the thin needles).


    You fed them on Pinus?


    How many instar are your larvae?


    regards jay

    Hello,
    Thanks You all for answers. I don't think that this special Chinese Pinus is necessary, I would rather choose P. sylvestris as one of the best plants. I considered P. nigra - now I feed my caterpillars with both sylvestris and nigra, but if I succed with getting pairing of the moths I'll feed them only with nigra (I don't have so many sylvestris, in my village the most popular is P. nigra).


    My caterpillars are in the fourth instar, they have been putting on weight incredibly for last 2 days! I'll try to attach some photos of them soon, if You also have some please show us :freudentanz:

    hello I rear them on Picea abies. But I think that wasn't a good idea. I had 120 eggs the all hatched. But unfornatuly the all dead except two.


    I read that all of you a experts in a A.dubernardi. So please give me a good breeding advice. I have many expericience in rearing the A. Mittrrei.


    Next year I offer new fresh eggs. Can anyone of you sell me some eggs of pupae or larvae??


    thanks


    regards jay



    Zitat von Burunduk

    Hello,
    I rear A.dubernardi caterpillars on Pinus sylvestris. They are in third instar now :smiling_face:

    Mittrei as I know isn't easy, I have nerev bred it because of lack of foodplants (I've got only Rhus sp., bt still I'm not sure if it's a good idea to rear them on it) - I hope Jay will tell You exact clues and give advices about breeding this beautiful moth :smiling_face:


    Interesting that dubernardi accepts so many kinds of needle-trees. I give my caterpillars both sylvestris and nigra and I noticed that first they eat sylvestris (sometimes a little bit of nigra), and then black pine. It's a small moth (im comparision with e.g. mittrei), so getting pairing isn't difficult, I think. It's like small Actias selene. But I'm waiting for some informations about the size of their cage from Meanboy (our Master towards dubernardi rearing :freudentanz: )


    If I get some eggs of course I can trade them for something, ither overwintering or something that I can wait for till Spring.


    All the best!

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    Hello Lukaz,


    indeed rearing the Mittrei is not easy. Rearing the Dubernardi sounds easy. Maybe we can trade eggs. In spring I have many eggs of the mittrei again and also many cocoons over 400!!! I'm gladly want to exchange with all you fellow breeders!



    Lukaz or meanboy a trade or I also want to buy them of course! have any of you have some news about the Actias Maenas? I'm interested in 100 eggs of these.


    best wishes for 2009!!!

    Many Thanks,
    it will be good, when you´ll have some eggs for trade. In the spring I will have eggs samia cynthia walkeri and eggs of Hyles euphorbiae and maybe Spinx pinastry. For me, is every chance for rearing some best moths, welcome. I´m 15 years old :grinning_squinting_face:
    so every information is very good for my :winking_face: :winking_face:

    So we're at the same age Radovan :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:


    By now I won't be interested in mittrei, maybe in 4-5 years when my Liquidambar will grow bigger... But I'm looking for many, many other moths...


    What does maenas feed on? Rhus?? Also one of the moth that I would like to rear, any informations about sellers of it are warmly welcomed :daumenja:


    Zitat

    Rearing the Dubernardi sounds easy


    It is, however You must avoid some mistakes because little caterpillars are especially tender, e.g. drops of water that come from damp food or deases - one ill caterpillars can infect others - I had this problem in June (my first rearing of dubernardi), larvae weren't small, but in two days 7 of 14 died...


    Jay, what do You rear (or overwinter) now? Would You like to try P. machaon or I. podalirius? Maybe also some European nice Saturnids or Sphingids... In the Spring of course :smiling_face:

    Hello Lukaz.


    The A. Maenas feeds on liquid AMBAR. The mittrei feeds best on Eucalyptes Gunni ( Azura) Cidergom. The A Maenas feeds also best on Eucalyptes! But al my larvae died due a infected Eucalyptes plant!


    I had 30 also Full grown meanas all died because of the bad plant! I bought the plant from a man who breeds Eucalyptes tree;s. But he forgot to tell that thet were'infected with poison. SO all my larvae got the FLacherie( A bacterial infection that causes the larvae to rotten and grow to a strange size) then the get soft and die...


    If you want more advise feel fry to mail me.


    all the best and keep y informed fellows about the Dubernardi'S! I wan't t obuy a lot of eggs!


    regards jay


    PS: Rhus is not a good choice to rear the Mittrei on. The first growing well and then in 3th instar the suddenly won't eat anymore and the next day the hanging on a brange... flatten en dead.


    Gunni is the best choice.

    Hello,


    I have home made cages, base: 50x50 cm, height: 70cm.


    Rearing this moth IS easy, IF you can get the larvae to eat.
    Sometimes, like a lot Saturnid larvae they just do not want to start to eat.
    If that happens it's a good thing to put them in a dark place for 1-2 days.
    During the first three instars I kept the larvae in small plastic boxes in high humidity (~70%).
    The summer was very hot (sometimes the temperature went above 40C), but the were fine.
    In the last two instars I kept them in the cages, no extra care was taken. I changed the foodplant every 3-4 days.


    Unfortunately I made a very stupid thing... I put the cocoons in a shoebox, but I forgot to cover it.
    I was sure they would only hatch in the next spring. But (likely) because of the hot summer some of them hatched earlier...
    Five (2 females, 2 males and 1 unknown sex) hatched in one night, one flew away, the other four were resting on the wall of my house :smiling_face:
    I don't know when the pairing started and ended, but they were together in the morning (I had to work).


    Now, the important thing: this is INBREEDING!
    The females laid 42 eggs and only 5! hatched.
    I was extra cautious with those five, kept them extra clean and changed the food daily.
    I got five cocoons :grinning_squinting_face: Now I just have to wait and see what will come out of them... (If they will ever hatch)


    So, now I have 5 inbred cocoons and 6 which will hopefully hatch in spring.
    I bought the eggs from Alan Marson.


    As you can see, I don't have a lot cocoon, I think I will keep all of them for my collection.
    Maybe next year I'll buy eggs from several locations (if it will be possible) and try to breed this beautiful moth.


    I hope I could help a little!


    Best wishes,
    Tamas


    PS.: Lukasz, I'm totally not a master in dubernardi rearing :grinning_squinting_face:

    A person who succeded in getting pairing of dubernardi must have been a master :respekt:
    Caterpillars are so incredibly beautiful that they are worth a few more photos. One of mine is a bit retarted in compraision with others, it's two times smaller - You can see it on the photo. I wonder if it either is going to grow, but take more time for it, or become a smaller moth (at the similar time as all caterpillars).
    I tried to take a photo of it's shining silver spots, but I found it to be nearly impossible. I was able to show it in a few not absorbing photos, do You have any better photos of this interesting caterpillar's markings?
    Ps. MeanBoy - how did You attached such a big photos? Mine are small...






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