Mostly Moths 2019

WendyBartter said:

***WendyBartter 
26 May 2019 3:40 PM
Next on the agenda ... eggs of Death's Head HM!!***

Never followed through from this post as of the 16 eggs which I received only 5 hatched & subsequently died over a period of a week or so!
However, WWB sent replacement eggs & these all hatched & today I counted 11 survivors including a weeny runty one which looks like it's just hatched (might well lose this one!) They have attained a reasonable size so am cautiously optimistic they may continue to thrive on their diet of common privet ... will sort out some pics shortly!

New batch of eggs on 2nd July

All 16 hatched on 5th July

7th July & already poo machines

Forever wandering to the lid, have to move them back to food source or they will perish

8th July

No more pics after these until today when I cleaned them out once more & moved into bigger box with mesh cover to cut down risk of mould!

Here's how much they've grown in 15 days ...
took a series of pics & measurements as I picked through their messy box

Had to mount a search for 'baby'

Apparently they reach 'chipolata' size by 45 days then pupate .....  Eeeeeek!!!

This was the last man standing from first doomed batch on 9th July @ 23 days it just stopped eating & perished a few days later!!

Amazing Wendy, if that lot hatches you'll have to turn your bathroom into a giant flying area for them. Will they hatch this year?

Apparently they will H but won't be keeping them all, sharing with a friend, just waiting another week to make sure they're growing well! Still have my very large laundry bin that I used for the Silkies & the butterfly house if they need splitting up!
Don't think I'll be breeding from them though, they need to feed on honey/water mix but don't take to it readily ... have to be held by wings & proboscis unfurled using cocktail stick & dipped into drink, two or three times til they get the idea ... if they don't feed then there will be no eggs!! Of course, in the wild they just raid bee hives!
Privet HM same thing which is why I set them free last year!

They are very scary to handle Wendy, my first attempt to move one gently onto a leaf for a photo session resulted in it hissing at me, I dropped it in fright & it dived into the wood pile. Bang went the photo session.

Trying to psych myself up H ... may just take pics whilst Mick holds one! Lol
They have clawed feet too & can squirt liquid! Double eeeeek!

Garden Tiger, a first for me. :-)

Lovely moth PA, lucky you, don't see them at mine but local reserve have them!