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Post by timmsyrj on Jun 11, 2016 2:54:05 GMT -8
Feel free to post photo's of what you have flying in the breeding cages or greenhouse (as with mine). Here's what's currently gracing my flight area. Black hairstreaks  An interesting sunshade  Male silverwashed fritillary   And a female silverwashed fritillary  Rich |
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Post by timmsyrj on Jun 11, 2016 3:00:49 GMT -8
A few more of the silverwashed fritillary (A.paphia) Male   Female    Rich |
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jun 11, 2016 6:24:41 GMT -8
No Stichophthalma?  I guess it would be difficult to grow the bamboo they feed on in a UK greenhouse. Adam. |
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Post by timmsyrj on Jun 11, 2016 6:53:47 GMT -8
No Stichophthalma? I guess it would be difficult to grow the bamboo they feed on in a UK greenhouse. Adam. Sadly not Adam, though I do have a couple of bamboo species growing in the garden, Phyllostachys aureus and bissetii, the first growing 4m high and Stratford butterflies have listed Stichophthalma howqua pupae from China so you never know, one day maybe. I have had no luck with the greenfly issue, I have sprayed several times with 5% milk and still they survive, I think this year I may have to forget the breeding and use a systemic pesticide, the docks, violets and blackthorn are all showing deformed leaves as the aphids are over powering and sucking the sap. I have one I use in the garden which lasts a few weeks so it should kill off anything in there this year but should have cleared by next spring, hopefully the plants will put out plenty of fresh, aphid free growth buy then and I'll start afresh. I only have these two species in there and the Black hairstreak over winters as an ova and the Silverwashed over winter as a newly hatched larvae (without feeding) so if they do breed in there, they may survive the pesticide and be present next spring. Rich |
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jun 12, 2016 3:15:59 GMT -8
Rich,
Sorry to hear that the milk treatment isn't working. I heard that it does the job really well. Alternatively try spraying them with washing up liquid. If you do resort to an insecticide I would recommend that you try to use a non-systemic contact insecticide with low persistence. I sometimes use Lannate here if really necessary. If treated plants are washed they can be safely used in less than 2 weeks.
Adam.
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Post by timmsyrj on Jun 12, 2016 5:25:07 GMT -8
The only trouble with a none systemic is getting them all, I thought I had checked all plants carefully, the great water dock and common dock plants had all leaves removed and fully submersed for 2 days prior to going into the green house, the trees had no leaves on and were wiped with a clean damp cloth, the rest grown from seed and now it's an infestation, there couldn't have been that many to start with, but then it doesn't take many with how fast they breed.
I'm thinking once the butterflies in there have died off i'll use a systemic pesticide everywhere in August then after a couple of weeks remove all the leaves and leave the plants closed up untill next spring, as I won't be looking for any livestock untill April/May they will have at least 8 months from treatment, the pesticide I use on my clematis for aphids only lasts a few weeks, I know this for a fact as I've often had to re spray them throughout the season.
Rich
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leptraps
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Post by leptraps on Jun 12, 2016 7:35:59 GMT -8
About 20 years ago I was working with a company in Florida the grew orchids. The had sticky strips (Glue boards) hanging in large numbers in every green house to control Aphids. I remember the boards were fairly clean. When I questioned one of the Botanists I was told the Sticky Boards had a Pheromone that attracted Aphids and they were deployed 24/7/365. If removed for a week the house would be overwhelmed with Aphids.
I also know (and don't know how I learned) that Aphids are a serious problem in green house Tomatoes. After each harvest the green house is bombarded with pestcides.
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Post by timmsyrj on Jun 17, 2016 7:45:38 GMT -8
Just spotted these in amongst the foliage..  Had to take a quick snap as I took the photo with the door open, didn't want to disturb them by going into the greenhouse as they are perched inches from the door. Rich |
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Post by timmsyrj on Jun 24, 2016 7:11:49 GMT -8
I have 6 female silver washed fritillaries busy laying eggs, I have sleeved 2 over common dog violets the other 4 I left in the greenhouse, the main reason I separated them is because I am going to use a systemic insecticide as soon as these Frits die off to try and eradicate the aphids infestation, all the violets in the greenhouse have died off, thanks to these little sap suckers, the eggs from the 2 sleeved females are outside and won't be sprayed so hopefully I'll have some survive from these, those in the greenhouse should be ok, most are on the timber framework and netting in the eaves of the structure so won't get sprayed, also as this species hibernates as a small larvae straight after emerging, they don't eat untill next year, when hopefully the next lot of violet seeds will be rampant and insecticide free (it's only active for 6 weeks).
It's been great to see this large fritillary flying in my greenhouse this year, yes they do spend quite a while clinging to the netting in the roof but they also behave very naturally some times, early morning they are down low, perched in sunshine warming up, males have been seen searching around the small elm, blackthorn and cherry looking for females and now the females are searching out suitable egg laying sites (everywhere), hopefully I can repeat this next year and future years inbreeding and getting some nice abberations, also trying the high brown (A.adippe) and if I can find any livestock I want to try the pearl bordered frit (B.euphrosyne) though I haven't seen anyone selling livestock of these.
I'm still hoping for Speyeria diana if anyone can get eggs.
Rich
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Post by timmsyrj on Aug 6, 2016 3:23:47 GMT -8
Current occupants of my greenhouse as of this morning.. Pieris cheiranthi Males  Females  two or more   Rich |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2016 5:37:30 GMT -8
Those are gorgeous!
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Post by timmsyrj on Aug 6, 2016 6:40:07 GMT -8
I'm over the moon to get these this year, I have half a dozen small egg batches so far, I only have 2 females in my collection from Tenerife and 1 from La Palma, so resisting the temptation to set these was hard, however it looks like I will be rewarded, I got 13 adults from a batch or 14 eggs ( one egg didn't hatch) so can't be bad. I will rear as many as possible but I hope to get another generation after these, they are continually brooded with no diapause so I have some winter cabbage growing on to try and keep a small colony going through the winter. These are larger photo's of some superb individuals..      Rich I love the hindwing colour on the first female.. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2016 5:46:07 GMT -8
Pieridae are underrated gems of the insect world
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Post by timmsyrj on Aug 7, 2016 23:13:50 GMT -8
I agree Joe, though I admit I have very few in my collection, a series of these should look great if I manage to breed plenty, though these eat cabbage they are only laying eggs on the nasturtium plants in the greenhouse, even though there are several of the cabbage plants that I reared them on in there, I've also read that they lay on the underside but I probably have a dozen small groups of eggs now on the top side of the leaves.
Rich
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Post by timmsyrj on Aug 7, 2016 23:18:57 GMT -8
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Post by timmsyrj on Aug 29, 2016 11:13:23 GMT -8
An update on these Canary Island large whites, firstly I have found that the larvae accept the leafs of horse radish (Armoracia sp.) secondly it is easy to see why these are found all year long in there native habitat, from the 13 adults I had flying, the last female died a couple of days ago I have loads of their offspring in various stages of development from a few egg batches still to hatch, through hundreds of caterpillars at various stages of development and a couple in the pre pupae stage this evening, as it's still August I should get at least another batch from the greenhouse, especially now I have another food source.
Rich
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 13:29:27 GMT -8
You have had great success with those.
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Post by timmsyrj on Aug 30, 2016 6:12:23 GMT -8
Soon the harvest of specimens for the collection will begin and hopefully another generation, I have been trying alternative food sources and the horse radish leaves are great.
Looking forward to next year and trying some different species, especially double or multi brooded species.
Rich
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Post by Zacatak on Aug 31, 2016 2:26:02 GMT -8
In the flight cage (butterfly house) at the moment Vanessa gonerilla coming out of hibernation from our winter that is soon to end and just a couple of hours, September is our Spring here in New Zealand. Attachments:
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Post by luehdorf on Aug 31, 2016 13:08:22 GMT -8
The Vanessa gonerilla looks amazing! Very beautiful Vanessa species. How many of them are you rearing in this generation?
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Post by Zacatak on Aug 31, 2016 15:56:02 GMT -8
Luehdorf I have about 12 adults that I collected these before winter so no generations produced yet, but that begins now. they should begin to lay eggs now that Spring is finally here. Many other species will be the wing soon too
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Post by luehdorf on Sept 1, 2016 7:31:29 GMT -8
@zacatak, this sounds great. Which plant are you rearing them on? Urtica ferox? Do you have any experience on trying to rear them on European urtica plants like
urtica dioica or urtica urens? I would be really interested in that. Is Vanessa gonerilla laying its eggs seperately like the European Admiral or differently?
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Post by Zacatak on Sept 3, 2016 1:48:31 GMT -8
@zacatak, this sounds great. Which plant are you rearing them on? Urtica ferox? Do you have any experience on trying to rear them on European urtica plants like urtica dioica or urtica urens? I would be really interested in that. Is Vanessa gonerilla laying its eggs seperately like the European Admiral or differently? Luehdorf, I use Urtica ferox, this is quite a nasty species and it has in history killed people and animals. It's listed in world record books as the worlds most lethal stinging plant. I grow it out the back of my place where I need it for raising the larvae. They will accept all urtica species, and I do usually find eggs or larvae on some of the European species. But to make sure they are Vanessa gonerilla it's best to find on their original host urtica ferox, because here we have Vanessa itea, and they utilise the same plants. Surprisingly I have in recent years found Vanessa itea feeding on urtica ferox (which is unusual) as they don't normally utilise this as a host. The eggs of Vanessa gonerilla are laid singly on leaves on the the stinging hairs, usually underside of the leaf, but can be deposited on top too. Usually 1 egg is laid, Vanessa itea I have come across 2-3 stuck together. |
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Post by luehdorf on Sept 7, 2016 3:30:56 GMT -8
@zacatak that sounds really interesting, must be not the nicest project to rear caterpillars on such a nasty plant. Is Vanessa gonerilla still a common butterfly in New Zealand? I hope one day I will have the time to come to New Zealand and see them myself.
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Post by Zacatak on Sept 9, 2016 2:32:28 GMT -8
Luehdorf: Vanessa gonerilla used to be very common here, it still is in some areas out of the city. But these days they are getting rarer to see like most species now. Vanessa gonerilla is a sight to behold, I guess you don't appreciate as much the species you have around you compared to what others around the world get to experience.
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