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Post by bluemoth on Feb 22, 2011 13:49:20 GMT -8
This is my first time rearing sticks. They hatched from eggs that were sent to me. Three babies have died. One of these was eating some leaf and all had drunk some water droplets. Symptoms are they stop moving and then become paralyzed and can not move at all in about 12 to 24 hours.. They keep the same color and stay limp for a number of days after they stop moving. I keep each one separate in air tight containers. Is it possible that they are to moist? Could they be picking up bacteria or fungal spores on the leaves that is killing them? Could they be getting ready to shed skins for the first time? They range in age from 1 week to 3 weeks old. Out of the 4 others I have two have eaten leaves and two have not. The leaves they are eating is ornamental cherry with the burgundy leaves. Willow was suggested as a first plant to try but was rejected by sticks. What should I do to save the remaining baby sticks?
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Post by bluemoth on Feb 15, 2011 15:04:53 GMT -8
Nice group of Buckeyes Bicaliber. I get ones that I call Blue Spots like the one on the lower right of the first photo here in CA. By the way never seen a hint of blue on a Buckeye like the one above it. That is awesome. I love the double touching spot one. I had a few like that to. I am breeding Buckeyes this year so will be trying to breed for interesting mutations. I got adults with an extra tiny spot between the two rear wing eye spots. Also my butterflies have big colorful eye spots. See my add under live stock on the classifieds if you want to get some nice Buckeye live stock. By the way Buckeyes are one of the most variable species out there. If you start breeding them in captivity you can get nice mutations. Then separate adults to get more mutations. Of cores to keep the captive stock healthy you have to add wild stock every few generations.
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Post by bluemoth on Feb 14, 2011 14:44:28 GMT -8
Thank you for all the help folks.
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Post by bluemoth on Feb 10, 2011 14:39:53 GMT -8
Got a Ceanothus Silk Moth ( male ) at my light 2/10/2011 Santa Cruz County California. In deed it was a surprise to see one there on my sheet. I think It may have hatched earlier than normal do to the warm weather we are having here. Cherry, willow and other trees are blooming a month earlier than they are supposed to the weather man said on the news. The moth is not very warn at all and no chips or cracks in it's wing edges. I suspect it is only a day or two old.
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Post by bluemoth on Feb 8, 2011 15:21:48 GMT -8
So I got a request for dead stock from a man in Canada. He said he got dead stock all the time from folks in US that do not have permits to export. Said I do not need permit. Would some one who knows all the regulations give me some advice? Also I wonder is a import permit needed if I want to by dead stock in Canada?
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Post by bluemoth on Jan 26, 2011 14:58:42 GMT -8
There has been a warm spell here in central California - 70s. I saw a Buckeye Butterfly in a park today. It is not fresh so can only guess it was over wintering near by and came out because of the warm weather. I thought Buckeyes were not supposed to over winter here - Santa Cruz County. Any one have any thoughts on this?
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Post by bluemoth on Jan 26, 2011 13:14:57 GMT -8
So my little wood eating lava pupa hatched. It is a female micro moth Esperia sulphurella, Sulphur Esperia Moth. Was introduced to California 40 years ago. Iarva feed on dead oak tees under bark. My larva was feeding an the inner wood not right under bark. It made a silken cocoon using bits of wood. Interesting to note that I have seen males of this species flying during the day time in spring. I would guess that females may be rare in collections.
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BUG ID
Jan 20, 2011 9:06:19 GMT -8
Post by bluemoth on Jan 20, 2011 9:06:19 GMT -8
Hi Proflek. I always keep my hatching pupa in a cage with screen sides and top so moth or butterfly can climb to the top when it hatches. If it can not hang upside down it will get crumpled wings. I make my cages out of cardboard boxes. It is a great way to recycle and cheaper than cages sold buy companies. A cardboard cage should last for about 5 to ten years depending on durability of cardboard used to make box. So you want to find the most durable ones you can like dubble thick ones. On my cages one side is a door other three sides and top are soft window screen. If you wish you can use metal screen. Just hard to attach to card board. I attach screen using brads. Door has pipe cleaners ( strait on door and loops on side ) for locking closed. I put plastic on bottom of cage if I plan to rear some thing in it at some time to prevent water from soaking into bottom if there is a water spill. Put paper towel or news paper on bottom of cage over plastic sheet. I seal the hole box inside and out with acrylic paint from the craft or art store. You can use Critter Keepers you can find in pet store. You will have to find a way to attach screen to top and at least two sides. Screen of any kind dos not tape very well by the way.
It is good your pupa is frisky. That means it is healthy. You should see some patterns or darkening show up in the wing covers about 3 to 5 days before hatch. This happens with moths I rear. Just make sure you do not keep it in bright sun light from a window. It would get to hot and could die. Would love to see a post of photo of the moth when it hatches.
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Post by bluemoth on Jan 19, 2011 8:15:07 GMT -8
Thank you folks for all your advice. Normally I have used the freezer but have had trouble with moths and butterflies folding their wings down in front of them over their legs. When they are small or to delicate to handle I put them in small containers then put the containers in to the freezer. It is very difficult to spread a lep in this condition even when relaxed. So I now have been using the nail polish remover. I have paper towel on the bottom of each jar that prevents contact with the damp plaster and a small bit of kleenex above that prevents to much flying around.
Although Potassium Cyanide is different than the liquid kind it still relay scares me. I worked in a chem lab ware parts were cleaned in different chemicals or plated with different metals. Cyanide was one of the chemicals used to clean copper parts. I was instructed very well as to it's lethal power to kill - that is the fumes at least. I never will use any form of cyanide in a kill jar.
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Post by bluemoth on Jan 18, 2011 17:37:18 GMT -8
I set up some kill jars with plaster on the bottom. The jars are small caning ones with air tight lids. Plaster is one inch thick in two of them and one and a half inches thick in the other. I put non acetone nail polish remover in to soak into the plaster. The moths pass out after a few minutes and appear dead. Then they wake up after a few hours. Even when I have used pure methyl acetate in the past I would get moths that woke up. So any suggestions on what to do to prevent moths from awaking? After they pass out I package them then put them in the freezer to make sure they are dead. do I not have anuf plaster for the nail polish to soak into? I am collecting a few Nemoria and do not want to keep them in the kill jar for to long - it might ruin their green scales.
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Post by bluemoth on Jan 16, 2011 11:31:04 GMT -8
After looking at photos of closely related species Asterope leprieuri( could not find A L depusete ) I think you may have an aberrant or partial Gynandomorph. The photos showed under side with small red patch and some had big red patch. My best guess would be one sex has big red patch and the other has small red patch. Any way very nice uneak butterfly.
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Post by bluemoth on Jan 16, 2011 11:10:20 GMT -8
I collect as a hobby and to sell and trade mainly. How ever I did collect specimens for some body who was doing a study. I am very happy to help with scientific research of an insect.
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Post by bluemoth on Jan 11, 2011 13:53:11 GMT -8
That is a fine bunch of butterflies you got there. Dispite the brocken tail P. machaon must have been a lucky find? Are'nt they only found alnog the border states next to Canada? Nice treat to get some Parnassius.
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BUG ID
Jan 11, 2011 13:43:19 GMT -8
Post by bluemoth on Jan 11, 2011 13:43:19 GMT -8
That is a moth pupa. Maby it will turn into some thing nice for your collection.
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Post by bluemoth on Jan 11, 2011 8:05:09 GMT -8
It is so beautiful! Tell your friend it is a very nice Photo. Indeed a very lucky butterfly to escape an attack.
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