Happy New Year all!
Same thread as before but a whole year of moth hunting ahead of us. You don't need lots of expensive equipement to set up light traps, a budget of around £20 should be enough, have a look on the old thread HERE or ask again, there is always (almost) someone who knows. Wendy is our surrogate mum & has a house & shed full of caterpillars & pupas & breeding adults!
The moths are still coming to feed on the rope in the garden. All you need is to dissolve 0,5Kg of sugar in 0,5 litres of wine, by gently heating up & stirring. Then pour the mixture into an old pan & put in a natural fibre rope or cord. (Don't put the ends in as it gets messy). Leave to soak a day & hang in the garden from a tree or bush or between posts. Then go back just after dark & see who's feeding. I tend to pop out about every half hour until bedtime. Then the fun starts as you try to get the camera settings right for the photos. The rope tends to work for about 3 days & then needs redipping during the day before the 4th night. Here are some "library pictures"
My rope is now a lot shorter as I only have 1 tree & just loop it from one low branch, it needs to be about 4ft from the ground. Here is one from 30 December, a Chestnut
Everone is welcome!
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
Thanks Wendy. Sorry, I haven't been following this thread so I was just displaying my ignorance. What happens to the adults once they have become fully grown moths. Will they breed?
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
They only live for a very short time, up to 8 days, they don't feed, females don't fly, males can but not often so it's a case of mate, lay eggs then die ... bit sad for such a beautiful creature methinks!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Second moth emerges, actually watched this one, comes out really furled up, gave it a stick to climb up ...
First one is having a stretch
With Mick's hand underneath to show perspective
What a beauty, still has much drying out to do though!
Just catching up again Wendy, what a beauty
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Regards, Hazel
WendyBartter said: What a beauty, still has much drying out to do though!
Very much a beauty, Wendy. Congratulations on a successful venture! :)
Thanks Sandra, now I just have to house up to ten of the monsters for a week or two! Lol
More excitement with third emerging overnight &sharing stick with first one ....
Moved after the vid & showed off underside ...
Think they are all males so far as this pic of second shows ...
Second one at full stretch rest at last ...
Footage of the very lively second one plus the first & third sharing same stick ...
Wow Wendy, turn my back for 5 minutes & you've a house full of moths. How lovely. I do hope you can get a few to breed too. Well done anyway on a very successful outcome so far!
Just waiting on a female to appear H, reckon she'll be swamped!! Lol