Rearing a Polyphemus Moth

[P.jasonius]

Spinning silk:

 

[Galapoheros]

40! That would be some work. Going to be cool later when they come out. In the mean time, you prob need a rest and probably need to replace that tree.

 

[Louise E. Rothstein]

Dear P. Jasonius:

If you still have extra caterpillars I would like them at:

Louise E. Rothstein
2912 Zollinger Road
Columbus,OH 43221.

Thank you.

Yours very truly,

Louise E. Rothstein.

 

[Tleilaxu]

When this is all said and done it needs to be stickied or moved into an article section!

 

[dtknow]

Not a good idea to ship caterpillars, but cocoons ship well.

I have some in the 5th instar...but they are not as big as I thought they would get.

 

[Galapoheros]

I think the size of these things has to do with how much food and water are in them at the time. Right before they start spinning, they purge themselves of food/fecal matter and extra water. They look a whole lot smaller after that. I think leaf misting helps them stay hydrated if you're feeding from cut branches.

 

[bugmankeith]

I think leaf misting helps them stay hydrated if you're feeding from cut branches.

I've noticed that too just as long as it's not too much.

 

[dtknow]

Galapheros: But caterpillar size should affect moth size, no?

According to the field guide I have wingspan varies from 3.5 to 5.5 inches, so they do vary a lot in size.

 

[Galapoheros]

That pretty much fits my logic. Sounds like a few of us received eggs from Pjason. But it looks like some are still waiting on them spinning. I only have eight but they finished several days ago. Might have to do with temp(?). I didn't keep mine around AC. Prob got in the mid to upper eighties during the day for the pillars here.

 

[dtknow]

Mine aren't front Jasonius. I bought cocoons from someone and then got two pairings. Have around 40 caterpillars now, but started with 80 ish. Mortality was very high in 2nd-3rd instar. Lost some who wandered off and fell into a bucket of water, some that apparently got sick, and a whole bunch of other weird deaths...not the least trying to move them when they do not want to be moved!

 

[Galapoheros]

Whoa, ha, they can be kind of a pain, right.. Interesting but, I was glad to see mine finally take a nap. The first time I did this, I decided that I didn't want more than 10 pillars at a time after that, but that's just me. If this parasitic fly species wasn't around here, I'd load up a tree in my yard with them. I tried that once and they all got parasitized. I saw the flies flying around the cats, I didn't know what was going on at first. I have the sleeves but I'm not interested in using them, maybe next time.

 

[pinkfoot]

Hello all,
I found something outside the door today: a giant silkmoth, 5.5" wingspan. I put it in a shoebox before I left and found eggs inside when I came back.
I'm going to try and rear these when they hatch, anyone have any experience with this?
Googlers need not advise me on this, I have a search engine. I want experience, please.
Will post pics soon.
[edit]23eggs total. I don't know if this is a good batch or not!

That's seriously beautiful!!

Any idea of the scientific name, perhaps?

I wonder if they exist in Africa..? :?

 

[dtknow]

Doesn't exist in Africa...but you guys have some really cool moths too. Check out Argema sp.

 

[P.jasonius]

That's seriously beautiful!!

Any idea of the scientific name, perhaps?

I wonder if they exist in Africa..? :?

Antheraea polyphemus

 

[P.jasonius]

Mine aren't front Jasonius. I bought cocoons from someone and then got two pairings. Have around 40 caterpillars now, but started with 80 ish. Mortality was very high in 2nd-3rd instar. Lost some who wandered off and fell into a bucket of water, some that apparently got sick, and a whole bunch of other weird deaths...not the least trying to move them when they do not want to be moved!

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one experiencing the high mortality rate, considering I started with a little over 80. I have no idea how many wandered off into all my clutter at 1st and 2nd instar. At 3rd and 4th there was a noticeable amount of loss due to bad molts, surprisingly. I actually performed 'surgery' on several and managed to save a few; their skin had become dried and compressed around their anal area, causing severe impaction. I was able to cut through and peel off the skin when I caught it in time.

 

[bugmankeith]

I actually performed 'surgery' on several and managed to save a few; their skin had become dried and compressed around their anal area, causing severe impaction. I was able to cut through and peel off the skin when I caught it in time.

I actually did that with one individual 3 times, a hornworm, except the skin got stuck right behind the head, tricky stuff especially when I had to do it for the last 3 instars or it would have died!

It's now at it's last instar, so i'll have to see if it pupates ok.

 

[P.jasonius]

update: 29 cocoons, five left to go.

 

[dtknow]

I just noticed that nearly all the caterpillars have black specks on them. It looks as if someone had been spraypainting a distance away. They are eating, lookin happy, and pupating. Wonder what is up...

 

[Spyder 1.0]

How long do these caterpillars stay cacooned before they emerge. Would you care to sell me 3 cacoons. We can use USP overnight this time or something.

 

[Galapoheros]

Hey dtknow, were you keeping them in a container outside? The parasitic fly around here in Texas jabs an egg just underneath the caterpillars skin. That's a good way to look at them, they look like a black speck "under" the skin. Mine had a few black spots on the surface of the skin just from getting poked a little by Live oak leaves. Anyway, the bad flies look almost identical to house flies. Hope not but the flies might have gotten to your caterpillars. You have any pics?