My New Caterpillar Friend

Ashlynn Rose

Arachnosquire
Joined
Apr 25, 2018
Messages
101
I brought my potted herb in from outside a few weeks ago, when it started getting colder. Today I went to water it and found a mystery caterpillar eating the leaves off my lemon thyme plant. I think it's a cabbage looper. With how cold it is, I would hate to throw him outside. Has anyone kept one of these? Or should I put him back outside?

caterpillar 1.jpg caterpillar 1.jpg caterpillar 2.jpg caterpillar 3.jpg
 

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Greasylake

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jul 23, 2017
Messages
1,324
Caterpillars in general are easy. Put it in a mesh enclosure and everyday give it some fresh leaves of whatever plant you find it eating. In a few weeks you'll have a pupa.
 

REEFSPIDER

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
412
I just raised some M sexta caterpillars from a feeder culture, i had my first 5 burrow down into the soil just now actually, i have about 20 more still growing and i plan to breed them when they emerge as moths. Do keep us posted I'm curious to hear how this goes for you. I'm experimenting with the tobacco hornworm because I would ideally like to raise and breed some more exotic moths but this is all new to me, I've raised monarchs but they didn't need soil to burrow.
 

Ashlynn Rose

Arachnosquire
Joined
Apr 25, 2018
Messages
101
I just raised some M sexta caterpillars from a feeder culture, i had my first 5 burrow down into the soil just now actually, i have about 20 more still growing and i plan to breed them when they emerge as moths. Do keep us posted I'm curious to hear how this goes for you. I'm experimenting with the tobacco hornworm because I would ideally like to raise and breed some more exotic moths but this is all new to me, I've raised monarchs but they didn't need soil to burrow.
How much substrate do you think I need to provide for him to burrow down into? I've never raised a caterpillar before.

I'll be sure to let y'all know how he turns out.
 

REEFSPIDER

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
412
How much substrate do you think I need to provide for him to burrow down into? I've never raised a caterpillar before.

I'll be sure to let y'all know how he turns out.
I have provided them a bed maybe 4 or 5 inches deep. Loose slightly humid but not wet substrate, i used peat.
 

Ashlynn Rose

Arachnosquire
Joined
Apr 25, 2018
Messages
101
Update: the caterpillar went up to the top of the kritter keeper and attached itself. It has started to curl up into a cocoon. I couldn't get a good picture because of the angle. :)
 

The Mantis Menagerie

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Messages
355
I will add a bit of information here about pupation for lepidoptera. All the butterfly species I know of make chrysalises that hang off of something. Usually the caterpillars crawl off their host plant and onto another structure where they attach themselves with silk to the structure and then shed their skin to expose and harden the chrysalis. Moths, on the other hand, use a wider variety of methods to pupate. Many moths, such as most giant silkmoths, tiger moths, and the geometer moths (like the looper caterpillar), make a silk cocoon on a branch or other support similar to how a butterfly would make a chrysalis. Other moths, such as the sphinx moths (hornworms), and giant silkmoths in the royal moth subfamily, burrow into the ground to form their pupas. One thing that all lepidoptera have in common is the need to have a surface to hang from in order for their wings to dry properly as shown in the previous post. If they do not climb up and hang immediately after emerging from their pupa, then their wings will be deformed.
 

REEFSPIDER

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
412
This is just a handful (no pun intended) of all the eggs I've collected from my moth enclosure over that past 3 days. Screenshot_20181129-184235.png
 
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