Polyphemus Moth Rearing

[MIA]

Long story short... My BF brought home a Polyphemus Moth and she had babies! Now we have 30 larvae and one has already cocooned! We moved the cocooned one into it's own container but I am wondering if I need to chill it until spring or what now?! The others are still munching away like little piggies and are HUGE so far no sign of cocooning....

They are absolutely amazing and this has been an incredible experience. I have put some photos below.

Any help is appreciated!!!

Mamma:

Babies (from about three weeks ago):

 

[ZephAmp]

You're going to have to wait things out.
Seeing as it's the middle of summer, they may try and get another generation in. Keep the cocoons outside of the fridge and make sure that they get "a taste of" natural sunlight; this will help them determine whether or not to produce another generation this season.

 

[Crysta]

hmm I found something similar over here in NB today and they look alot like your little ones...
this one is about 3 1/2 inches long and 1 inch wide almost...lol wondering if it could be some type of moth species as well?

 

[Terry D]

MIA, Although not much help for rearing, we frequently find polyphemus coccoons in sapling black willow stands on sandbars of the Red River here in Caddo/Bossier parishes in La. They stand out like a sore thumb in the dead of winter. I didn't have a clue as to what they were when I first found one. I took it home and kept it in a large otameal container misting it once every two weeks or so. The adult emerged sometime the following April- it was huge. I took some pics and released it in a patch of woods where I conduct bird surveys.

C'freak, That looks much like a late instar cecropia. I think just about everyone interested in my neck of the woods have found an adult except me :wall:
polyphemus are by far the most common of the two. Luna are fairly abundant here as well.

Cheers,

Terry

 

[barabootom]

In my part of Wisconsin A polyphemus will have at least two broods, and sometimes three per summer. I'm guessing your cocoon will hatch in about 2 weeks and you'll have one more brood.

C'Freak, you have a H cecropia. They are one of my favorite moths. They have just one brood per summer and the larvae can get huge.

 

[Crysta]

hey you two thanks for the identifyer...sorry for hitting on your thread mia lol

yep seems to be the 'little' guy thanks! and i think its in the firth instar, and spinning a coon should be soon? i think these guys overwinter as well?
also
found a picture of the adults ive seen here, they get wonker huge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hyalophora-cecropia-mating.jpg

Im giving the pillar to my brother since he seems interested in it. (hehe getting the younger generation into bugs,sorry dad! ^^) is there any chance its spines will hurt or cause invenomation?

thanks
crysta

 

[barabootom]

hey you two thanks for the identifyer...sorry for hitting on your thread mia lol

yep seems to be the 'little' guy thanks! and i think its in the firth instar, and spinning a coon should be soon? i think these guys overwinter as well?
also
found a picture of the adults ive seen here, they get wonker huge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hyalophora-cecropia-mating.jpg

Im giving the pillar to my brother since he seems interested in it. (hehe getting the younger generation into bugs,sorry dad! ^^) is there any chance its spines will hurt or cause invenomation?

thanks
crysta

The spines are semi soft and are completely non-venomous, non-urticating. They are harmless. The spines could slightly poke you but not puncture the skin or cause any harm of any kind. I used to move hundreds a day by hand in outdoor sleeves and never had any problems.

 

[MIA]

C'Freak no worries, I was curious as to what you had as well!

Here's a photo of the cocoon! My others are still munchin away, no sign of spinning. I should mention they are not native where I live, my BF found mamma in a shipping container where he works, I gather she hitched a ride from wherever!!!