Lime Hawk tiliae pupae

Lime Hawkmoth Mimas tiliae

Some excellent forms of pattern and colour are appearing from these pupae, including one-spot, banded and brick red forms, as well as a wide colour range of normal pattern. There is no way of detecting these in the early stages, but we are illustrating some of these extreme forms that have been emerging.

Store pupae refrigerated for the winter. The moths normally emerge in May/June.

Extremely easy to rear on Lime or Elm. Other reported foodplants include Cherry, Alder, Birch, Oak, Hazel, Acer including Sycamore, Sorbus, Apple, Pear and Ash! In autumn the larvae will grow faster if kept warm. 

The larvae do particularly well sleeved on growing foodplant but can be kept in plastic boxes or cages. Beautiful streamlined larvae. Larger larvae are often heavily marked with flame and scarlet spots and blotches. Very variable. They pupate underground. In captivity they will pupate amongst folds of cloth or absorbent tissue.