SCHOOLS Recommended Livestock

All Colour Paperback BUTTERFLIES Robert Goodden.

A comprehensive guide - outlining techniques for the breeding and study of butterflies and moths. This book also shows a grand selection of butterflies of every continent. Packed with essential information, colourful pictures and diagrams by the butterfly artist JOYCE BEE. Paperback. 160  pages. 7 x 4". An essential guide for the beginner.

Published by Hamlyn. Available only from Worldwide Butterflies.

All Colour Paperback BUTTERFLIES by Robert Goodden. £6.95

Pyjama Mini Cage 20 x 24 x 25cm high

Ideal as a beginner's cage, but also for the busy breeder who wants separate small cages. Excellent as an emerging cage for chrysalides and cocoons, ideal for keeping small numbers of larvae or other insects, when large enough for cage rearing.

This cage is more suitable than the cylindrical pop-up cage, for laying out small numbers of pupae to emerge. It is also more suitable for smaller numbers of larvae or smaller larvae. Baby larvae should be first reared in plastic rearing containers or kept covered on growing food. This cage will hold small covered pots of plant, and larger sizes of cage are available for larger subjects.

When necessary the netting cover can be slipped off for cleaning or replacement. The Pyjama Mini cage is assembled in minutes and easily packed flat for winter storage. As the interest grows there are larger sizes available. For the experienced breeder the Mini Cage has many uses where a series of smaller cages is needed for separating species and giving different treatment.

Cage & cover £14.95

Spare Cover  £6.50 

Cage & Cover + Spare £19.99 

Pyjama Cage Standard  40 x 30 cm  height 50

Probably the most useful size as a general purpose cage. Suitable for breeding butterflies and moths, laying out pupae to emerge, keeping larvae that are large enough to cage, also for Stuck insects and other creatures. Occupies little space. Can be stacked if required. This size lower in price and larger than the Flat-pack Wooden Framed Cage range, and much less costly to send.The equivalent wooden frame cage costs £35.00

Cage & Cover £22.95 

Spare Cover  £10.00 

Cage & Cover and spare £29.50 

Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae

The best way to keep the young caterpillars is on potted nettles which should ideally be prepared in March, regularly watered, and kept out of doors to make stocky growth.  If potting nettle in summer, choose very short stems and keep constantly watered. Prepare more than one pot of nettle. When the young larvae are received, bring the potted nettle indoors and place the young larvae on the foodplant, where they will look after themselves until they finish the food and are large enough to be kept in a cage on cut nettle in a jar of water.

You can also keep the larvae in plastic boxes, with absorbent paper lining. Keep away from sunlight. Clean out and replace food daily. When large enough, transfer the larvae to a cage.

In a matter of weeks the pupae are formed hanging from the cage top, and the butterflies emerge in a little over a fortnight.

The Small Tortoiseshell has suddenly become scarce where once it was common. By releasing either butterflies or larvae, it might help to bring back this once common butterfly.

The butterflies can be kept in a cage for a few days, with plenty of flowers for nectar, and then released to help the wild populations.
20 Small Tortoiseshell larvae £15.50

Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae

The best way to keep the young caterpillars is on potted nettles which should ideally be prepared in March, regularly watered, and kept out of doors to make stocky growth.  If potting nettle in summer, choose very short stems and keep constantly watered. Prepare more than one pot of nettle. When the young larvae are received, bring the potted nettle indoors and place the young larvae on the foodplant, where they will look after themselves until they finish the food and are large enough to be kept in a cage on cut nettle in a jar of water.

You can also keep the larvae in plastic boxes, with absorbent paper lining. Keep away from sunlight. Clean out and replace food daily. When large enough, transfer the larvae to a cage.

In a matter of weeks the pupae are formed hanging from the cage top, and the butterflies emerge in a little over a fortnight.

The Small Tortoiseshell has suddenly become scarce where once it was common. By releasing either butterflies or larvae, it might help to bring back this once common butterfly.

The butterflies can be kept in a cage for a few days, with plenty of flowers for nectar, and then released to help the wild populations.

Ten Small Tortoiseshell larvae £9.95

EARLY Peacock Butterfly (Inachis io)

The larvae live in tight clusters on the tips of nettle. Prepare some potted nettle in March, when the stems are short. Keep the pots outside until needed indoors for the first larvae. When the larvae are larger, keep them caged on cut stems of nettle in a jar of water. Pupae are formed in a matter of weeks, hanging from the cage top. Butterflies emerge in about 3 weeks.  They can be kept for a few days in a cage with flowers for nectar, then released into the wild.

Ten EARLY Peacock larvae £14.95 May

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui

The Painted Lady butterfly occurs in more continents of the world than any other butterfly. The larvae are easy to rear on Thistle (its preferred food plant), Stinging Nettle, Mallow, Burdock, Hollyhock and will often take other foodplants. An ideal species for schools.

Each larva lives solitarily from birth. It spins a protective silk cover, living at first off the leaf cuticle. When possible, keep the larvae on a growing foodplant, which enables the caterpillar to make its silk cover, and move on to fresh food when it requires. If kept on cut food, please ensure that the plant is kept fresh and changed before the quality of the food suffers. This of course applies to all species, but the method has to take into account the solitary habit of the larva, and its protective silk.

Depending on temperature, the larvae pupate in a little over a month. Butterflies emerge in 2-3 weeks. The cycle continues throughout summer and several broods are possible in a season.

The butterflies can be kept with nectar flowers for some days, and then released to breed in the wild.

Available throughout the year but not always instantly. There may be a delay of a couple of weeks if larvae are not at the right size for sending. Can be ordered immediately.

Larvae are often quite small when sent. Too small  to be put into a cage or aquarium. They are best reared on growing foodplant, enclosed in a sleeve. Alternatively keep in a plastic box, lined with absorbent paper, and changed daily. For details see the All Colour Paperback BUTTERFLIES.

Five Painted Lady larvae in Total Environment Pot

The five Painted Lady caterpillars live their whole life inside the see-through pot which contains all they need from birth to pupating. You need add no food. You don’t even clean them out and they look after themselves over weekends!

The larvae grow quite quickly in summer indoor conditions (never keep them in direct sunshine).  The container is easily passed round a group without disturbance to the larvae.

During skin change the larvae do not move or eat This may last a day or two.

Don't be alarmed by this: it is a natural stage in their development.

When the larvae have finished eating, they suspend themselves from a silk pad spun on special absorbent paper in the lid. Here they cast their caterpillar skin.  If you are lucky and look at the right moment you can see the actual moment of change from caterpillar to chrysalis.

Let the chrysalis harden for a couple of days, then hang the paper pinned inside a cage for the butterflies to emerge.

 
You can keep the butterflies for a few days in a cage with nectar flowers. Then, except in the colder months October to March, release them into the wild where they may breed naturally in your area.

The instructions are printed above - please note them for the arrival of the larvae which are not sent with further instructions. If you are sending larvae as a present, please remember the recipient will not have these instructions, unless you copy them to the recipient.
 

Available throught the year but not always instantly. There may be a delay of a couple of weeks if larvae are not currently at the size for sending. Can be ordered immediately.

One pot of 5 Painted Lady caterpillars £13.95         Six pots of 5 Painted Lady caterpillars for group study (one supplied free!) for only £69.75

 

Comma Butterfly Polygonia c-album 10 larvae  

Fascinating larvae with curious half and half markings in black, brown and white, mimicking a bird dropping. The larvae feed on Stinging Nettle, Elm and Hop. They live singly. Fast growing. 

 

 £10.00

Pop-up Cylindrical Netting Cage

An innovative cage, with access through the top which zips around the perimeter. Compacts completely flat for storage, but springs up for use when wanted, requiring no supports. Ribbon handles allow carrying or suspension when required. Approx 35cm diameter and 45cm high.

Suitable for rearing larger larvae, or smaller creatures in some quantity. Also suitable as an emerging cage with pupae lying on the bottom, or suspended from the sides. Pupae should be on a tray of suitable compost to retain humidity, not simply laid on the cage bottom.  Sticks are needed for emerging adults to climb but the netting sides already provide superb foothold.

With the zip opening top, the cage can be inverted over potted foodplant, or over a growing branch, like a sleeve, but it is vital to ensure that the zip is tightly closed to keep the insects in and predators out.

Lime Hawkmoth Mimas tiliae

Extremely easy to rear on Lime or Elm. The larvae do particularly well sleeved on growing foodplant but can be kept in plastic boxes or cages. Beautiful streamlined larvae.

15 eggs or 10 larvae of Lime Hawk, according to availability, £6.95

Double Pack £10.00
 

Eyed Hawk Smerinthus ocellata

Fascinatingly camouflaged larvae which exactly match their leafy background. Easy to breed. The larvae feed on Willow, Laurel and Apple. At pupation time, provide a container of peat to a depth of about 10cm, with a lid. The larvae burrow to pupate.  The moths, with vivid eye-spots, emerge the following spring.