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Post by bobw on May 17, 2013 6:28:00 GMT -8
I'm rearing Catocala sponsa for the first time (in fact it's the first time I've reared any Noctuid) and I wondered if anyone can tell me how big the larvae get? They're now about 7 cm long - they've got to that size in only three weeks - and I'd like to know how much bigger they get.
I want to be ready for when they want to pupate. Is it obvious when they're about to pupate and what's the best substrate to use for pupation?
Thanks
Bob
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Post by boogtwo on May 19, 2013 9:05:39 GMT -8
Can't give specifics for your species as I have never reared them.
At 7cm could be getting close to pupation though. Shredded bark or even shredded paper toweling works fine for pupation medium.
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Post by bobw on Sept 18, 2013 2:18:11 GMT -8
I tried to rear several species of Catocala from ova this year. I failed with a couple of species but got reasonable numbers through of two oak-feeders: C. sponsa and C. dilecta. I had 24 adults of C. sponsa in a cage and 10 adults of C. dilecta in another but I got no pairings or ova. With this number of adults I would assume that I had both males and females, although I've no idea how to sex them.
I'd like to try some Catocala again next year but there's no point if I can't pair them up. Could anybody give me any tips on how to sex them, and more importantly how to get them to pair and lay?
Thanks for any help.
Bob
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Post by jonathan on Sept 18, 2013 5:28:28 GMT -8
Hi Bob, At 7cms they are close to start pupating. You will notice 2 things: 1. they will eat a lot, and by a lot I mean a lot. 2. they get thick and there brown colour gets dull They pupate in the soil. Jonathan www.satyrinae.yolasite.com/ |
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Post by bobw on Sept 19, 2013 0:40:12 GMT -8
Hi Jonathan
Thanks for replying but I'm way past that stage now. I was actually looking for an answer to my subsequent question about pairing and laying.
Bob
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Post by sanphilep on Oct 2, 2013 7:50:24 GMT -8
Hi Bob
I have reared catocala elocata and pairing is not that difficult.
It is important to give enough food by hanging a ball of cotton wool soaked in sugar water solution from the top of the netting cage.
I use round cages as they work better.
Egg laying is done in folds mainly where the sewing of the cage is and any place where are folds.
Rearing larvae is best on live foodplant on sleeved plants. Early stages is ok on cut food and do not overcrowd. Catocala larvae are susceptible to getting disease if overcrowded and the commonest is GIT problems.
Regards
Aldo
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Post by bobw on Oct 2, 2013 8:14:11 GMT -8
Hi Aldo
Thanks for the advice. Maybe I didn't feed them often enough, although they lived for a long time - 5 or 6 weeks, even though I stopped feeding them after a couple of weeks.
A few more questions: how soon after emergence did they pair? Is it necessary to have the foodplant in the cage for them to lay? How big a cage did you use and how many adults were in it? Do you have any idea how to sex them?
Bob
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Post by kingha on Oct 31, 2013 20:12:13 GMT -8
bobw How to sex Catocala from the book Legion of Night: The Underwing Moths (Hardcover) by Theodore D. Sargent  |
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