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
Mesmerising ... more ways than one to neglect domestics! Lol
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Quite, I could write a book on it!
A walk on the ruler today ...
At pupation size
Baby nowhere near ...
Couple of medium ones
Had a drive round today & a couple of treks up likely looking alleys ... amazed how many privet hedges shaved to within an inch ... finally snaffled some from street side of someone's front garden, felt like a thief but no-one in to ask permission! Spotted another likely looking source on way home, will go & knock on their door tomorrow!
Hurry up & pupate! Lol
lol Wendy, glad you found some more privet ! the silkworms are looking well fed !!
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Regards, Hazel
I had this little caterpillar visit the moth trap last night & so I kept it. I'm feeding it grass as I think it's a Lunar Underwing, & there are very few photos of this stage. I want to try & raise it! Arghhh! Help Wendy! If I'm right it will keep growing until June & then go into the ground to form it's pupa. So I guess I need a big bucket of soil?
Here's the beast, all 10mm of him (roughly)
So how often do I need to change it & wipe it's btm? It's in a gherkin jar at the moment is that OK? Will it need air holes?
Hi H, good find! I keep mine in clear plastic food container with many small ventilation holes in lid, line it with white kitchen paper & fed mine exclusively on dandelion leaves all refreshed daily, the biggest danger to larvae is condensation & mould! Much easier than dealing with the Indian Silkworms which are now snug in their silk cocoons bar two ... pics/vids asap!
How big Wendy, ice-cream tub size? I'll try dandelion leaves on it. I've got them in the bathroom which is the coolest room in the house & the most constant temperature!
EDIT Just done the transfer & there were 5 poos & its now about 15mm & slightly different colour! I've put grass back in too & see what it prefers!
Ice cream tub would be fine H but wonder if being in bathroom would be too moist an environment? If condensation builds up then use a bit of weighted netting to cover instead of lid! You'll soon find out what foodstuffs it prefers, they are fascinating eating/pooing machines & grow so fast! Good luck!
Yes I think so too, I have since put it in the hall & have covered with a piece of mosquito netting, held on with a rubber band. It doesn't seem to eat much but is in the grass at the moment.
Good move H, will pick up on eating as it gets bigger, just check the poos! Lol