Raising Cecropias

[Mikaila31]

I made this thread last summer about raising caterpillars. Unfortunately that caterpillar died after a few weeks, from what appears to be a disease of some sort. This also is not the first time I have seen this happen. So this summer I choose to do things differently. Instead of buying large caterpillars from the state fair, which is a pretty iffy and expensive source. Today I received 20 ova (eggs) in the mail today from a hobbyist breeder around 3 hours away. Hopefully things will go much better with these guys. It will be 5-9 days I'm guessing till they hatch. I'm still debating what food to start them on possibly either lilac, oak, or birch. They don't like to switch foods once started so I got to find something easy to get and in considerable amounts.

Here are the eggs ATM.

 

[seffieuk]

How interesting, I will be watching their progress

Seffie x

 

[Ashley1991]

just had a look at your old thread i did not realise how beautifull ccaterpillars can be!!

will be following your progress

ash

 

[Ludwig Venter]

This is a completely different field to me and I admit that I had to google to see exactly what you're talking about.... Most reports I've seen suggest that they like Plum oak leaves or something to that effect, but I'm not even going to attempt to give any advice... Good luck I hope you have better luck this time around and that they are prolific to the extent that you'll be able to release some in nature.... seems to be an endangered species.

 

[Mikaila31]

They Hatched this Morning! I think there are around a dozen that have hatched. The rest should hatch tomorrow morning. I've moved the hatched ones into two small ziplock containers. The plan is to have 3 different groups. The food plants will differ somewhat between the groups, that way I will be able to provide food easier when they get big. I was kinda worried at first because they seemed to ignore all the leaves when they hatched. I was afraid they where not eating. However when moving them I did notice tiny droppings. I can only assume they are eating.

It may be endangered somewhere, but not here. They are natives, but you rarely see them. The caterpillars stay way up high in the trees and the moths are nocturnal.

They are sooo itty bitty!

Center of this pic one is hatching, though its a bit blurry.

 

[seffieuk]

Oh how cool are they

Seffie x

 

[christineluhe]

Whoa thats sooo cute! <33

 

[Mikaila31]

Growing like lighting! 4 days old.

 

[silverrabbit]

They are so cute!!

 

[Mikaila31]

SECOND INSTAR!

This species of caterpillar has 5 molts. Each molt is called an instar. With each one they change their appearance. Most of my caterpillars that are eating wild cherry leaves have reached their second molt. I have 5 others eating oak, these were also the last ones to hatch. They have not molted yet. I did loose a few . I think they got too hot outside or something. They have been moved inside and these last two days no more have died. Currently 19 are still alive and munching away.

The second instar has them being yellow and black. The last pic has one that still hasn't molted, it will most likely molt sometime tonight.

 

[Paradise3]

Wow they are amazing! Nothing like the cinnabar moth caterpillars that we get(they are cool like but not that good)

If your wondering what a cinnabar moth caterpillar looks like it's this.
Caterpillar.

Adult

Alessa x.

P.S. Juts realized that i sounded like i was saying ours were better. I actually meant yours are alot better!

 

[M.R Otter]

Fabulous!! What an awesome looking creatures, there are a lot of creatures in this world that I would love to discover or see!!

 

[Mikaila31]

Thats an interesting butterfly. The caterpillars kinda look like monarch caterpillars .

Been 3 days since last update. Still growing like crazy. As they are getting bigger so are their appetites. Still waiting on that last one to shed its skin and turn yellow. He's the same size as the other but still hasn't shed his skin.

11 days old

 

[Paradise3]

I'm probably the only one to say this but AWWWWWWWWW! It's so cute!!!!

Alessa x.

 

[Mikaila31]

Most of them have reached the 3rd instar, they started changing yesterday. This is one of their prettier instars. Despite how they look these critters are not spikey, all the spikes and knobs are soft.