YOU WERE SUPPOSE TO OVERWINTER Pt. 2

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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Woke up in the early hours of the morning to some violent flapping. I was like, what the heck? Then I realized that my Antheraea polyphemus cocoon hatched. I took a look at it and the wings were falling off. Really upsetting because I wanted to get some good pictures of it.

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socalqueen

Arachnoknight
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Woke up in the early hours of the morning to some violent flapping. I was like, what the heck? Then I realized that my Antheraea polyphemus cocoon hatched. I took a look at it and the wings were falling off. Really upsetting because I wanted to get some good pictures of it.

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So awesome. The wings are stunning. I'm a beginner, how can you tell the wings are falling off? Do they die if the wings fall off?
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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The front tips just fall off when you leave them for hours. Unfortunately, this one hatched while I was sleeping. Usually after getting a few pictures I release them into the wild. I released this one today and it flew away just fine.
 

socalqueen

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The front tips just fall off when you leave them for hours. Unfortunately, this one hatched while I was sleeping. Usually after getting a few pictures I release them into the wild. I released this one today and it flew away just fine.
I'm sorry for all the questions, but is that common? For the wings to fall off? Because it hatched while you slept we're you supposed to do something to help it? I'm a beginner and just loaded with questions so thank you in advance.
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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If I were to catch it hatching during the time I was awake, I could have got awesome pictures of it with the wings untouched and in perfect condition. This is because they are slow moving and fresh at this point. If you keep them in a mesh enclosure for over a few hours, they will go crazy. Just flapping around and bumping into the sides of the enclosure. This is how they lose pieces to their wings.
 

socalqueen

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If I were to catch it hatching during the time I was awake, I could have got awesome pictures of it with the wings untouched and in perfect condition. This is because they are slow moving and fresh at this point. If you keep them in a mesh enclosure for over a few hours, they will go crazy. Just flapping around and bumping into the sides of the enclosure. This is how they lose pieces to their wings.
So they don't do well in enclosures ultimately? If they go crazy with wing flapping is that continuous until you release them? Thank you for answering my questions!!!
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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Yes, they don't do well in enclosures. Even at butterfly conservatory's I notice some with chipped wings.
 

socalqueen

Arachnoknight
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Yes, they don't do well in enclosures. Even at butterfly conservatory's I notice some with chipped wings.
I've wondered about that, seems they would gravitate towards windows to get out and I've heard that moths will exhaust themselves and sometimes even die trying to get out. Thank you for your input!!
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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My unscientific theory is the wings are fragile as a protection-defense mechanism. To keep them from getting trapped among foliage or spiderwebs. They seem to get by without problems with as much as a third of the wing missing.

 

socalqueen

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My unscientific theory is the wings are fragile as a protection-defense mechanism. To keep them from getting trapped among foliage or spiderwebs. They seem to get by without problems with as much as a third of the wing missing.

Beautiful Lep, that's an Atlas right? On my wants list. I like your theory, as their wings are so fine and soft. In your experience do the moths ever calm down after their crazy spell post hatch? Or are they fixated on escape for the duration of their life? I'm trying to gather as much information and input as I can in regards to rearing, breeding etc. Thank you!!
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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Beautiful Lep, that's an Atlas right? On my wants list. I like your theory, as their wings are so fine and soft. In your experience do the moths ever calm down after their crazy spell post hatch?
Atlas by guess. Locally called snakes head moth from the shape of the wing tips.
You know more than I.
In my limited experience, they are acutely photophobic (more accurately, photo-hypersensive) and their fluttering is a panic attack as they are basically blinded by most light sources. They seem to be able to differentiate between different flowers at quite a distance in near complete darkness. The antenna may be an olfactory aid in this.
 
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socalqueen

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In my limited experience, they are acutely photophobic and their fluttering is a panic attack as they are basically blinded by most light sources. Purely guessing, their eyesight is limited to a few inches if even that and the antenna is used as much as the eyesight in locating nectar sources.
Wow, I learn something new every day. So outdoor keeping exposes them to a surplus of light that renders them blind and panic stricken? Would you say they should be kept in near dark if not dark areas? Forgive me for all the questions and thanks in advance for your patience lol.
 

The Snark

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Wow, I learn something new every day. So outdoor keeping exposes them to a surplus of light that renders them blind and panic stricken?
Purely guessing. I think two things trigger them to fly, absence of light and hunger. Around here hunger isn't usually an issue so, like the moths that get stranded in our carport during the day they will usually sit immobile until dark. If disturbed they only fly a few feet. So compare that few feet to their normal nectar hunting flights which can easily cover a mile or more of area and I suspect some easily fly several miles each night.
Again, purely a guess, yours is hungry, ultra fast metabolism, near starving, and is desperate for food. Don't forget moths can be extremely fussy eaters and may only select one certain kind of flower and even a flower only at a certain stage of development.
 

The Snark

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Here's a little bit of my environmental side showing. We usually leave the carport light on all night to dissuade human predators. But I always check before turning the light on. If we got moths waiting for nightfall I leave the lights off.
 

Introvertebrate

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Like a number of moth species, Attacus atlas doesn't have a digestive system and therefore cannot feed. They live off the energy reserve they obtained as caterpillars. Adults only live about 5-7 days, and their sole purpose is to attempt to find a mate and reproduce.
 

The Snark

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Like a number of moth species, Attacus atlas doesn't have a digestive system and therefore cannot feed. They live off the energy reserve they obtained as caterpillars. Adults only live about 5-7 days
That explains why I only see them so sporadically.
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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Purely guessing. I think two things trigger them to fly, absence of light and hunger. Around here hunger isn't usually an issue so, like the moths that get stranded in our carport during the day they will usually sit immobile until dark. If disturbed they only fly a few feet. So compare that few feet to their normal nectar hunting flights which can easily cover a mile or more of area and I suspect some easily fly several miles each night.
Again, purely a guess, yours is hungry, ultra fast metabolism, near starving, and is desperate for food. Don't forget moths can be extremely fussy eaters and may only select one certain kind of flower and even a flower only at a certain stage of development.
These moths do not eat as adults. They eat all they need to in the caterpillar stage and only live a few days as adults.
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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These moths do not eat as adults. They eat all they need to in the caterpillar stage and only live a few days as adults.
So it's just desperate to get out and mate. Does it pay any attention to the light/dark?
 

Ratmosphere

Arachnoking
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When I let the moth fly loose in my room, it would be attracted to the light on the ceiling so possibly!
 
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