Cecropia moth and eggs!?!?!?!?

[packer43064]

OK as you can tell I have a moth of the Cecropia species.

Well I saw it on the grass and picked it up and saw some eggs, so I took it inside and put it in a large kritter keeper with some grass. I looked about 2 hours later and there are eggs under her and in alot of other places on top of the grass.

SO I'm just going to let her lay her eggs, and I think she'll just end up dying after that so I don't have to worry about her.

SO how long does it take the eggs to hatch?

Also what will the caterpillars eat, I've heard that they will eat maple. If so well i'm good because I have 2 trees of maple in my yard.

Also how many can I keep in a large kritter keeper. I know now that they will be small when they hatch so I'll be good for ahwile but, they can get to like 5 inches.

Any help at all would be appreciated.

 

[Jesse607]

the catepillars will feed on just about any type of deciduous tree. I've had luck feeding them on wild black cherry, ash, and linden, but they should do fine on maple too. If you keep too many they will eat you out of house and home. You'll be amazed how much those fat buggers can eat!

 

[PINK1081]

The eggs will take 10 to 14 days to hatch. I found that netting over branches on the food plant works well as they get bigger. They may have to be moved as they grow and eat more. Good luck, and get ready to explan that the nets on your trees are to keep the bugs ON your trees.
Pink

 

[packer43064]

Thanx you 2 for answering.

She laid eggs from Friday to Saturday. There's about 30 eggs.

Should I put the maple leaves in there now, or when they hatch. Also how long can they go with out eating, I have soccer somedays, and if they hatch when I'm gone will they live for a few hours.

 

[Jesse607]

They can't go much more than a day without fresh food, or they become weak and never recover or do not reach their full size, and become more susceptible to disease. Wait until they hatch to put the food in, and you should change the food every day or two.

 

[Wade]

My practice when raising caterpillars is to rear them in a screen cage (ventilation is important). I usually use something lile a 2-liter soda bottle full of water to stick fresh cut branches in (stuff paper towels around the braches to keep the 'pillars from crawling in and drowning, or els use water crystals). When they get close to finishing off the leaves, I set a second bottle with fresh branches next to the first (with branches touching) and they gradually will migrate over to the new leaves, and then the old bottle can be removed and replenished when needed. Easier than having to handle them every time!

Cecropia caterpillars are huge, they look and eat like the caterpillar from "A Bug's Life".

Wade

 

[packer43064]

I've seen that movie too. I sort of liked the lil fat dude, so I'm sure I'll enjoy the caterpillars.

I've heard they can get to like 5 inches, It makes sense though because the moths are huge also.

I'll start watching and looking alot more once it hits Friday again.

Thnx.

 

[Fluid Filter]

Reminds me of the time I saw a big 'ol moth laying eggs. Wait, i dont have to bother remembering. I took a picture! Unfortunately I have nothing else to add except good luck.

 

[packer43064]

That pic looks like the one I caught.

Except the pink line is a orange color, and the body is a reddish color with white stripes.

 

[Wade]

That is a polyphemus moth, if Packer's moth has the eyespots like that one, it's probably not a Cecropia. Nevertheless, the caterpillars should eat maple just fine. The adults don't eat at all.

Wade

 

[packer43064]

Well it doesn't look like that, too much.

I'm gonna post a pic of the now dead mother moth, and the eggs.

I also caught 2 caterpillars, their white with like fur on them, I know what they eat and everything so I'm good there, But I'll post pics of them too.

I was wondering though, when they change into the chrysalisis or pupas, are they suppose to like be like that over winter and then come out next spring.

 

[Wade]

Well it doesn't look like that, too much.

I'm gonna post a pic of the now dead mother moth, and the eggs.

I also caught 2 caterpillars, their white with like fur on them, I know what they eat and everything so I'm good there, But I'll post pics of them too.

I was wondering though, when they change into the chrysalisis or pupas, are they suppose to like be like that over winter and then come out next spring.

Polyphemus have two generations per year, while cecropia has only one. If i's cecropia, it will remain a pupa over the winter. Storing it in a cool place should stop it from emerging too soon, as you want to be able to have food available for the next generation if you breed them.

Wade

 

[packer43064]

Well I got some pics now.

Here's what I keep the eggs in.

The next four pics are of the now dead mother moth, see if you can tell what kind it is now.

And the next 3 pics are of th eggs.

I also caught 2 white furry caterpillars.
This is their setup with the host plant.

And 3 more pics of one of the caterpillars.

Hope ya like em.

 

[Wade]

Definately Cecropia, not sure on the other caterpillars.

Wade

 

[packer43064]

THanks Wade.

 

[Galapoheros]

I've raised Saturniidae moths the way "Wade" did. If you keep the caterpillars all in the same enclosure, you might find that all you want to raise is about ten. Eating machines. Here is a good site for identifying and buying this kind of stuff. If you keep them outside, uncovered, you may get a parasitic fly problem like I did here it Tx. The fly here looks like a house fly. It seeks out the caterpillars and lays eggs just under the skin of caterpillars. The larvae eat around vital organs and so the caterpillar stays alive along time. Bad news for a caterpillar. This site has all the info you want to know. What the cats. eat, how big they get, supplies for sale, caterpillars for sale, eggs for sale. A good site.


http://www3.islandtelecom.com/~oehlkew/

 

[packer43064]

Yeah I already knew about the fly and it lays eggs,a nd eats the caterpillar insides out.

I saw it on that national geographic channel.

Thanx for the website it rocks.

Well I might know what the white caterpillars are now.

One of them have molted into a orangish color.

I caught about twent of these ones last year before winter. They were known as bear or wooly bear caterpillars, or something like that.

I could be wrong, but that's what it looks like so far.