My moth breeding this year.

[Dave McCormick]

Decided to get around 6 meters of netting and build an outdoor flying cage in my garden. I have decided since rhododendron is so easy to get round my area, I'd breed the Indian Moon moth. Should be getting 5 pupae in next two weeks and getting netting soon too. The netting stops parasites getting into it.

I want to create a 3-4meter enclosure to keep them in.

Link to moth: Actias selene - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Moon_Moth)

Will have videos of them soon. Keep checking. How long would it take for pupae to hatch?

[Dave McCormick]

This breeding is going to cost me around £50, i calculated it and I am getting:

5 Cocoons
25 Meters of netting that will keep out parasites

I plan to build a large breeding cage outside in my garden that will be big and hold them, for study only. I will make it like a shed and have a door in middle and neddin on both sides and top. This should be intresting and project should start in a week or so.

[pipit]

good luck with it :grin:

[Dave McCormick]

Change of plan. I have decided to get Large Copper instead. They look so cool when flying about. Here is a pic: http://www.wwb.co.uk/shop/images/products/CopperGroup.jpg

Basically in some places they are near threatened to extinction so breeding them might be worthwile and I have always liked copper butterflies.

[Dave McCormick]

Just got some good news. Basically if right conditions happen, i may have around 1000 caterpillars next spring! The adults love purple loosestrife and are a great site to see on it. I am getting great water dock and loosestrife seeds soon. Hope this works out.

Orderd 10 larvae and they sound arive soon.

[digiflower]

That really sounds great!!!!!!!!:cool:
Can't wait to see some pictures, You are going to keep a journal with pictures right?
Good Luck and may ALL your larvae grow and prosper.:flowers:

[Dave McCormick]

Late update. I orderd them and in a good year, by spring of 2008 I could have over 1000 larvae and a 10th would need to survive to keep a steady breeding going. I got some water dock to feed them on and its planted. I got hemp argermony to feed adults and using different fruits and I will show you pics of my breeding cage when its built. I will keep you posted.

[Dave McCormick]

Another update. Got my netting 6 meters. If all goes to plan and I get permission, I will have a special area to set up breeding area. Its going to be big (big enough to walk up and down in) Its going to be 56inches tall and have perspex on roof and netting on sides and a door I can get in and out of.

I am planning two species to breed (If I end up with too many, the place I ma getting them should take some back) are:

Large Copper (Comming in July)

New Zealand Red Admiral or Yellow Admiral (looks a nice butterfly, both.) This one should arive in start or mid June, depending on which I choose. (Both foodplants are nettles, so it does not matter) Which is better do you think:

NZ Red Admiral:

http://www.wwb.co.uk/shop/images/products/GonerillaOpen.jpg

or Yellow Admiral:

http://www.wwb.co.uk/shop/images/products/Itea1.jpg

Think I prefer top one, but not sure yet. have to order by this weekend to ensure I get them.

Putting breeding area beside a bay tree in area so it will be a bit shaded and be free from anyone seeing it. (its going to be in a largeish garden area in an orchard beside my house)

If this works, throughout year I can take 10-30min videos from inside it and post them on my website to show you how its going.

I am building this thing if I am allowed, this weekend, If rain stays off. What should I make it out of? I want it to be strong and withstand the bad weather times.

And finally, I will be keeping a record of how this goes and I will update this progress on my website from time to time when things happen.

[Dave McCormick]

New update on this. I am getting Large Copper, but not until July. Since I could not recieve them now, I am getting three times the amount! 30 larvae. I hoping to get my 5 Elephant Hawkmoth pupae soon, then see the pink hawkmotsh flying around soon. That would be intresting. If I get too many of these hawkmoths, I can let a few out since they breed in my area anyway.

[Ginny42]

Well good luck with all your hatching.;) In school, our students are hatching and releasing about 8 painted lady butterflies. I could not believe how fast those caterpillars grew and they are now in their crysalis. That only took about one week. By next week I think we will be releasing them.:grin:

[Dave McCormick]

I have three small tortoiseshell pupating at moment.I only see painted lady in my area in summer as they come from North Africa as well as clouded yellow to U.K. nice specticle to see so many at times.

I am hoping to have this breeding cage built soon. I will post pics when its done.

[Dave McCormick]

Finally, construction of this flight cage has begun. I will post some images when its done. Getting different flowers to feed adults on and other things. Hoping this works.

[jennie]

Fasinating! Keep us posted!

[Dave McCormick]

Should be finished today. Got my five Elephant Hawk Moths, so they should be cool. Only ever seen them in my area once. They are so called because their caterpillar retracts its head like a trunk and if looked head on, the two false eyespots make it look like a snake.

Breed these first then in July, Large Copper.

[Dave McCormick]

My first adults are hatching out. I have 4 small tortoiseshell. I will show pics of the breeding/flight area and adults later when I get home, tonight.

[Dave McCormick]

Here are some pics, of the Adult Small Tortoiseshell and one of the cage. Sorry it does not look so good from here, but I tried to fit it all in the shot.

On and if your wondering what that bird is sitting behind near wall, its a stuffed Jay.

[Sashweezy]

That's a very ambitious project you've got going there Dave. I'll look forward to seeing some more pics.

[Dave McCormick]

Well, when the large copper come, their should be no problem as this cage will hold many of them. I don't think I can breed small tortoiseshell in here due to the way of their courtship. Next I have to put into emergence tank is Elephant Hawkmoth after all small tortoiseshell emerge and when they emerge, I will have good pics.

I put the netting over the door (the front part) so that when I open it, the butterflies hit net rather than escape.

Somebody once told me they had an explosion of large copper one year from breeding. They started small and had over 1000 the next year. These should breed all year round due to being warm indoors. Saves the risk of weather than having it outside.

Hope my water dock grows by then. I have around 6 and they are shooting up. The dock grows enormous with leaves much bigger than common dock and far stronger and really tall stems. Just gotta keep them very wet and they should take off.

Have more images soon.

[Dave McCormick]

First moth hatched out. Elephant Hawk Moth, here is a pic:

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/3458/elephanthawkmoth1av1.jpg

Smaller than I thought, great pink and olive green colours. Hoping rest hatch out soon.