Keeping and breeding butterflies

please tell me! in the summer, a peacock-eyed pear pupa was accidentally brought from the sea. we live in Volgograd. the pupa at first moved and scratched violently inside. we decided to leave it on the balcony in the shade in a 700 gram jar. at the end of September, when the air temperature at night began to drop to 5 degrees, we decided to transfer it to the refrigerator for the winter.When I picked it up, I felt like a pebble was rolling around inside the cocoon. what does it mean? the pupa didn't survive our hot, dry climate and dried up, or should it? I am very worried, because the child really wants to see the butterfly.

please tell me! in the summer, a peacock-eyed pear pupa was accidentally brought from the sea. we live in Volgograd. the pupa at first moved and scratched violently inside. we decided to leave it on the balcony in the shade in a 700 gram jar. at the end of September, when the air temperature at night began to drop to 5 degrees, we decided to transfer it to the refrigerator for the winter.When I picked it up, I felt like a pebble was rolling around inside the cocoon. what does it mean? the pupa didn't survive our hot, dry climate and dried up, or should it? I am very worried, because the child really wants to see the butterfly.

If it was scratching, it was probably still a caterpillar. If there is a "pebble" inside, then it is not dry, at least.
The child should be patient. In this species, it can take up to three years from pupation to the release of the butterfly!

thank you for reassuring me! we planned to get it out of the refrigerator in early March. so it turns out that it may not come out right away? and then how to store it during the summer, just on the balcony in the shade? and just in case, how do I know that the chrysalis is dry?

thank you for reassuring me! we planned to get it out of the refrigerator in early March. so it turns out that it may not come out right away? and then how to store it during the summer, just on the balcony in the shade? and just in case, how do I know that the chrysalis is dry?

It is best to get it when the frost period ends outside and put it on the balcony. The butterfly should be released in mid-May.
Yes. During the summer, you can store it on the balcony in the shade.
The dried pupa becomes light and empty. If you shake the cocoon, you can feel it. You can also carefully cut the cocoon from the side and look inside.

Tell me, who knows how to properly winter the caterpillars of large representatives of the Arctiini tribe?
I've been feeding these caterpillars all summer. Now they are already 5 years old, and it's time to think about wintering, and then fresh food (plantain) is getting harder to get, and it's probably time for them to stop eating.
Or you can try to bring them out without diapause, i.e. make them pupate in the near future? So that wintering takes place in the pupal stage.
I have experience in wintering various caterpillars, but it is not very successful, and wintered well, very different caterpillars. And these still would like to successfully withdraw.

Now they are already 5 years old, and it's time to think about wintering, and then fresh food (plantain) is getting harder to get, and it's probably time for them to stop eating.
Or you can try to bring them out without diapause, i.e. make them pupate in the near future? So that wintering takes place in the pupal stage.

If the fifth age - then no wintering probably will not be. The caterpillars themselves must stop feeding at a younger age. Feed until they pupate and wait for the butterflies. But, in my experience, with such an artificial second generation, in monovoltaic species, imagos turn out to be dwarfs, or even underdeveloped freaks.
If there is no plantain, you can feed it with other plants.

This post was edited by okoem - 04.10.2015 16: 49

I would like to clarify: these caterpillars are caterpillars of Pericallia matronula.
And as far as I know, their development cycle is different from others.
That's why I'm asking, what is the right thing to do in this particular case?

I would like to clarify: these caterpillars are caterpillars of Pericallia matronula.
And as far as I know, their development cycle is different from others.
That's why I'm asking, what is the right thing to do in this particular case?

You asked a general question, and I answered it in general. Specifically, I don't know anything about Pericallia matronula. What is their cycle?

That's why I asked a general question, because there is not enough information about Pericallia matronula specifically. And there is it only for more common types.
As for Pericallia matronula, in nature it develops in a two-year cycle, and the caterpillar overwinters the second winter, pupating without additional feeding in the last spring.
My caterpillars grew up in artificial conditions to the fifth age in one summer, but I don't know how to properly pupate them now: now or after the "planned" wintering.
And if this wintering is necessary, what conditions should be created for it?
I fed them all the time with eco-friendly plantain, so I don't think we should switch them to another food now, as this may have a bad effect on them.

That's why I asked a general question, because there is not enough information about Pericallia matronula specifically. And there is it only for more common types.
As for Pericallia matronula, in nature it develops in a two-year cycle, and the caterpillar overwinters the second winter, pupating without additional feeding in the last spring.
My caterpillars grew up in artificial conditions to the fifth age in one summer, but I don't know how to properly pupate them now: now or after the "planned" wintering.
And if this wintering is necessary, what conditions should be created for it?
I fed them all the time with eco-friendly plantain, so I don't think we should switch them to another food now, as this may have a bad effect on them.

Sasha sometimes Googling is useful
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mistress bear
the text from it
"Development takes place within 2 years. Females, after mating, lay their eggs in rows on the underside of the leaves of forage plants. younger caterpillars are light, with yellow warts and brownish hairs. At older ages, they become dark brown with long reddish-brown hairs on dark warts. The head is brown with a dark median stripe. The caterpillars feed on hazel, bird cherry, plantain, dandelion, blueberry, honeysuckle, hawkweed and other plants, wintering twice. Pupation in spring, after the second winter of the caterpillar without additional feeding. The pupa is black-brown with red terminal cutouts, located in a whitish-gray loose cocoon mixed with hairs. Pupa is usually in the litter"
There are inaccuracies, but with rare exceptions.

The post was edited by Gennadich - 04.10.2015 17: 09

I've read all this, but I still don't understand what to do with them now. And what conditions are needed for overwintering at home?

I've read all this, but I still don't understand what to do with them now. And what conditions are needed for overwintering at home?

You need fallen leaves and moss as an antiseptic to eliminate mold and so on. Place the caterpillars and pray that they overwinter.

I have captured the whole process of their growth: starting with the capture of the female on June 12, 2015, until today, and I don't know how to create conditions for wintering yet, there are only three caterpillars left, and I really want the butterflies that have emerged. That's why I'm asking for advice.

As for the moss, I guessed even earlier (I took a certain amount directly from the place of capture of the female). I understood about the leaves, but wouldn't it be better to add pine needles, because butterflies live in pine forests?
And then, whether you need earth at the bottom of the box, and what humidity and temperature you need to maintain and what time, when to put them (now or in a week) and when to wake them up later: in the spring or you can, for example, on New Year's Eve, they will no longer need food.

As for the moss, I guessed even earlier (I took a certain amount directly from the place of capture of the female). I understood about the leaves, but wouldn't it be better to add pine needles, because butterflies live in pine forests?
And then, whether you need earth at the bottom of the box, and what humidity and temperature you need to maintain and what time, when to put them (now or in a week) and when to wake them up later: in the spring or you can, for example, on New Year's Eve, they will no longer need food.

Alexander in any case, the choice is yours, how to arrange a comfortable wintering of caterpillars will still have to think about you.There may be several options.
Here are some of my few winter quarters.

Thank you for your helpful tips and important data.
In general, a certain wintering option for these caterpillars has already formed in my head, let's now hope that everything will be fine and the imago of Pericallia matronula will still be released!

I have a question Now och few sunny days. and the geese are still growing.What kind of lamp can replace sunlight with?and how long do you need to shine?

I have a question Now och few sunny days. and the geese are still growing.What kind of lamp can replace sunlight with?and how long do you need to shine?

And what are the caterpillars and why do they need light?

There is a problem! There are Dendrolimus pini caterpillars. I feed it with pine. Winter is coming soon. Do they need to spend the winter or not? Or it is better to ask so "it is more desirable" for them to spend the winter or not, since pine grows all year round. What happens to pine needles in winter? Does the growth of pines not stop and you can safely pluck pine branches in winter and feed the caterpillars?

There is a problem! There are Dendrolimus pini caterpillars. I feed it with pine. Winter is coming soon. Do they need to spend the winter or not? Or it is better to ask so "it is more desirable" for them to spend the winter or not, since pine grows all year round. What happens to pine needles in winter? Does the growth of pines not stop and you can safely pluck pine branches in winter and feed the caterpillars?

I was breeding Dendrolimus pini.
I stopped eating them in the fall at the penultimate age, they wintered right in the pine branches in the bank.After the New Year, I sprayed them with plenty of water and gave them a fresh pine tree.After some pause, they began to eat, and then they made cocoons, well, etc.

they wintered right in the pine branches in the bank.

Where did you spend the winter? (on the balcony, in the apartment under the battery or somewhere in a cold corner or in the refrigerator)

Where did you spend the winter? (on the balcony, in the apartment under the battery, or somewhere in a cold corner or in the refrigerator)

On the balcony

I have a question.How long can a species stay in culture without fresh blood?Well for example hawk moth

Zravstvuyte! I have bred a swallowtail butterfly 27. 10.15. Feels good, flies, eats honey water. But I'm sorry that she's alone! Is it possible to put her in suspended animation before the summer and how best to do it? Thank you in advance for your response!

Is it possible to put her in suspended animation until the summer

It's impossible.

Hello! I now have 3 pupae in the ground at home: hawk moth, scoops-I don't-know-what and moth Ascotis selenaria.
The questions are as follows:
- Do I need to spray the ground with cold water at this time of year and in winter?
"their cocoons protrude from above. Maybe they should be covered even more with earth?

This post was edited by Wave Storm - 02.11.2015 22: 58

  
- is it necessary to spray the ground with cold water at this time of year and in winter?
"their cocoons protrude from above. Maybe they should be covered even more with earth?

Sprinkle with water, as a rule, is never harmful. Especially in the winter period, when the humidity increases in nature. Unless brazhnikov before the release of imago spray is contraindicated, as I was told by an experienced breeder.
I wouldn't put any powder on it. What for?

Thank you, okoyem. I thought that they should be sprinkled because initially they pupated in jars and were completely buried, building cocoons around themselves from earth particles, and then I dug them out and transferred them to a box. And I put them in the box so that these cocoons can be seen on the ground. And I'm also afraid that there are cracks between the cocoon and the ground, and cold can get in there. Or will there be nothing for them?

This post was edited by Wave Storm - 02.11.2015 23: 24

And I put them in the box so that these cocoons can be seen on the ground. And I'm also afraid that there are cracks between the cocoon and the ground, and cold can get in there. Or will there be nothing for them?

You can put it without soil.
The pupal temperature is equal to the ambient temperature. What is "cold"?
The meaning of the cocoon is not to protect from the cold, but to protect against drying out (with dense cocoons) and to facilitate the exit of the butterfly from the pupa.

"Cold" - I meant cold air, frost, water that can freeze.

"Cold" - I meant cold air, frost, water that can freeze.

Water and frost - so you have pupae wintering in the open air? I would rather put it in the refrigerator for reliability.

They are not in the open air, but on a glassed-in balcony in a cardboard cage. But it's cold there.
T. e. I'm afraid that if I spray them, the water will reach the pupae, freeze. Or will they get nothing?

This post was edited by Wave Storm - 04.11.2015 20: 10

They are not in the open air, but on a glassed-in balcony in a cardboard cage. But it's cold there.
T. e. I'm afraid that if I spray them, the water will reach the pupae, freeze. Or will they get nothing?

Now it became clear.
In case of frost, you do not need to spray. Moreover, it is better not to keep them in the cold, so as not to ruin them. I put all the pupae in the refrigerator for the winter and don't do them until spring. Naturally, with the exception of those species that come out in nature in winter. I take them out before their summer period and put them on the balcony, in the cold, so that they can go out.

I wonder, how do they tolerate frost in nature?

I wonder, how do they tolerate frost in nature?

Under the foliage they lay down and sleep .

Nick444444, maybe I should also put some leaves on them. Somehow I don't want to put them in the refrigerator.

Nick444444, maybe I should also put some leaves on them. Somehow I don't want to put them in the refrigerator.

I gave this example. I know that young mother-of-pearl caterpillars do this, but I don't know about the rest. Vladimir will come by and definitely advise you on the best course of action, he is a great specialist in this matter . But I will keep my caterpillars on the balcony this winter, someone poured leaves, someone laid a grass mat. Already one caterpillar of Macrothylacia rubi, which I found at the end of September, is buried in a currant in a ball and is sleeping, it is not even visible . Although I wonder what will happen to the caterpillars of Hipparchia statilinus, which are still sitting on the top of the grass (on the balcony)?

This post was edited by Nick444444 - 06.11.2015 01: 16

I wonder, how do they tolerate frost in nature?

In nature, they are buried in the soil. This is not at all the same as a jar of soil on the balcony. Unlike a jar, the soil does not freeze or freezes less. And who unsuccessfully dug in, he dies in the winter.

It probably doesn't freeze in Feodossi. In our upper soil layer, the temperature drops easily beyond -10, even in March, I checked with a special sensor. Or are they buried a meter or more deep? I would be more concerned about the humidity, not the temperature, in the future of wintering caterpillars on the balcony, since it can be very low there. Especially if the balcony is not glazed and is often exposed to the wind. And if the balcony is glazed , then the temperature drops from heating by the sun (if, of course, it looks there).

It is not important how much the soil freezes, but how sharply this happens, although butterflies have adaptations to this, very often pupate just on the surface of the soil or on plants, and nothing, they live and do not die out
And about the flagging - also nonsense, I had so that from the pupae of the convolvulus hawk moth that formed in the room at a humidity of approx. 20-30% hawk moth hatched in the same room, without cold exposure, by the way.
There are such adaptations that the pupa does not dry out even if there is at least 10% humidity, and the water balance inside will be constant because even at 5% humidity, you can absorb moisture from the air in one direction.
I have some kind of scoops, I forgot what they are called, for two years there was a pupa in a jar in the closet, I forgot about it, and in the third year a butterfly hatched, there are some scoops whose pupae can lie for more than a year before hatching.
In general, the least you need to worry about this case is enough + - to make natural conditions for a particular species, but of course it is better + than -, otherwise the probability of survival will fall)