Rearing Parnassius sacerdos

[robert61]

am trying my luck with breeding Parnassius sacerdos tessinorum from Switzerland. The eggs came from a female where I collected last year this famous complete black male that I posted last summer.
Have never been lucky with these caterpillars and use this year different foodplants(Sedum caucasica and Rhodiola rosea)
In the first 10 days they prefered Sedum caucasica and now only Rhodiola rosea(used in nature by populations on dryer Habitats)
The caterpillars are now about 2 weeks old and about 1,5cm Long....hope they dont get any infection and die...
Robert

Attachments:

[wollastoni]

Cool !

Keep us informed!

[steve]

Look forward to hearing how you go with them. I would rear them in separate containers and keep them isolated.

[boogtwo]

I reared a lot of Parnassinae species/subspecies over a period of about 3 decades. Did most of those from the Nearctic, quite a few of them from the Palearctic region (mostly Europe, but also from the USSR and Japan). I sometimes reared those from the Nearctic region in very large numbers for reseeding declining colonies. Large numbers of a species can be reared together successfully in fairly small quarters if you maintain a very stringent daily cleaning routine, especially with the groups that feed on high mositure content plants (like Sedum, etc). With trial and error I came up with methods that worked so well I lost very few to disease.

[robert61]

I seperated them now in 2 Groups ,each 5 Piece.
For some unknown reasons they start walking a lot around, similar the ones that are searching a place to pupate.
Robert

[Ascalaphus]

Doesn't sound good Robert ... I reared sacerdos (eggs collected in Wallis) on wild Sedum telefium last spring. I kept them all together in a small plastic box under a hot and bright lamp, without a lid (18 hours of light each day). The humidity was very low, so I changed the food a couple of times each day. 10 days after hatching, the caterpillars started to pupate. All caterpillars produced perfect adults. Some hints: if you use Sedum telefium, then check if you are really using the wildtype telefium and not a garden hybrid. In my opinion, rearing Parnassians in May is too late, March is better. Parnassians prefer the heat from a bright lamp, however, the ambient temperature should be < 12 degrees Celsius.

[robert61]

could not start to breed them earlier , have been travelling most time of this year and with the strong and long winter the foodplants have been to small in march .
Am feeding them only with Rhodiola rosea(I have wild Sedum telephium and also Sedum caucasica but decided to breed them on Rhodiala rosea) and yesterday the first one started to stop feeding and is preparing for pupating.
Some caterpillars are still very small and I Keep them seperate from the larger caterpillars.
Will take another Picture as soon I have the first pupae.
Robert

Attachments:

[steve]

Good luck Robert , I look forward to the results!

[robert61]

Picture of a pupae Parnassius sacerdos tessinorum.
Non of my 10 caterpillars died and it´s the first pupae I have from this species . I notice that the white powdering that I know from Parnassius apollo pupae is totaly absence
Robert

Attachments:

[robert61]

just emerged!
I noticed that 2 of my caterpillars escaped in my Office and now I hope that I will find the emerged butterflies one day "somewhere"
Robert

Attachments:

[wollastoni]

Great !!! Congratulations!

Please show us picture of the spread specimen, would love to see its vibrant colours !

[robert61]

the wings of this male are not realy dry,but I took a Picture. I hope that there will be soon a female emerging,so that I can mate them
Robert

Attachments:

[steve]

Hi Robert That has been an extraordinary journey to see. Thank you for sharing that.

[suzuki]

Yes Robert well done and hope you are successful with any pairings. Karl.

[robert61]

this morning a nice female Parnassius sacerdos tessinorum was already emergend when I checked the Cage with the pupae