Putting them outside in rearing cage is generally enough to achieve a couple. To let the males find her, provide them a good ventilation. The night after emerging, the female will “call” males with the secreted pheromones. Mating the Luna moth it’s very easy to achieve if we have 2-3 males per each female. In spring, we pick out the cocoons and put them outside, waiting for the Luna moths to emerge! Mating Luna moth! It’s important to keep a high level of humidity (the frigde’s air is very dry). During the fall, we place the cocoons in the fridge into an air-tight plastic box with a paper towel on the bottom to absorb any liquids. The hibernate stage show a golden-thicker cocoon, that will spend winter waiting for spring to emerge. The white-golden cocoon should be placed in the bottom of the cage, outdoor (not to direct sunlight) or indoor and you have to pay attention to that the moth that will emerge should have enough space to climb on the netting walls to extend its wings freely. Generally luna moths pass from 2 to 4 (depending on the temperatures) generations before hibernate. Healthy Actias luna caterpillars grown on Juglans regia From cocoon to adult Leaves and branches needs to be replaced frequently though they appear still fresh: once cutted, they keep using their nutrients becoming not very nutritious.Īctias luna caterplillars grow through 4 instars before papation, they spin their cocoons between the foliage or branches, sometimes on the ground between the paper towel and the bottom of the cage. The tree branches that we use as host plant need to be cut and put into bottles, perforated containers or cans, with fresh water needs to be replaced everyday or every two days. In the bottom of the butterfly rearing cage we put a paper towel to absorb any liquids, it’s important to replace it everyday. Is also possible to rear them in larger plastic boxes, especially if kept indoor, where the air is usually dry. Once 元, we use to keep most Saturniidae as Actias luna in rearing cages ( available in our shop) to increase the air flow and avoid fungal disease. These containers have little air holes to increase the humidity: high humidity is required (especially in the firsts instars) for Actias luna catrpillars. Plastic rearing box are available in our shop, about 15-20 larvae till the second instar can be reared in there. We suggest to keep Luna moth larvae in small plastic containers untill L2. Once hatched, larvae will walk around until they find a good place (usually underneath or in between the leaves) to eat.
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