Enticing Catocala females to oviposit

[beetlehorn]

Yesterday we had some strong storms rip through our area, then as the afternoon progressed things started to settle down a bit. So I figured I would do some blacklighting. After about two hours I checked my sheet and saw several Sphingids, and a few Noctuids. Then my eye caught a ghostly looking moth at the base of one of my blacklight stands. I immediately recognized the moth, it was Catocala sappho! Well I captured it and checked to see if it was a female, and as far as I can tell, it looks like I might have a female here. I placed it inside a brown paper bag, but so far no ova. This evening I offered it/her a sugar/water soaked cotton ball, and boy!..... it must have been starving. Immediately it began lapping up the sweet solution. Does anyone out there have an idea as to how I can entice this moth to lay eggs (oviposit)? I would really like to rear some of these, so if anyone can help, I would be greatful. Thanks in advance. Tom

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[ladobe]

First, if you're sure its a female, also be sure its gravid or you're wasting your time. I seldom found moths to be stubborn layers, why I'd question it being gravid.

A trick I used for stuborn species though...

I made laying cages that I could control all environmental condidtions in, same as my rearing cages. I stuffed them near full with the species preferred larval food plant to keep them on the plant, then sprayed the plant lightly with water and gave the cage bright light. I always fed them first before putting them in. Then I used a boxer fan to keep them active. Worked very well for almost any species for me.

Could be adapted to your paper bag thing... what I often used for moths myself to get ova. In the very least spray it and give it bright light... or, plant it, spray it, give it bright light and a fan.

FWIW