SPRING and SUMMER EGGS and LARVAE Order now for supply in season

Buff Tip Moth Phalera bucephala 

 The Buff Tip, once very common, is remarkable and a must for the enthusiast. You could help re-establish Buff Tips in your area. The eggs are laid in a tight cluster on a leaf of the foodplant. A hatched group of eggs is illustrated and you can see the skeletonised leaf left by the tiny larvae as they progress feeding across the leaf. The larvae are gregarious and quite conspicuous by the trail of eaten leaves, and the fact that they form quite a lumpy cluster! 

They are coloured with a netted pattern of yellow and black, warning colours that ward off predators, and larger larvae have a covering of long, fine white silky hairs. The group does not disperse until pupation when they descend to burrow quite deep into the soil.

The moth is a master of deception, rolling its wings to form a silvery tube with extraordinary likeness at either end to a broken branch. If it flies up on being disturbed, it is hard to spot on landing, unless you know what you are looking for, because it so closely resembles a piece of branch.  The larvae feed Maple, Birch, Hazel, Laburnham, Poplar, Prunus (Plums and Blackthorn), Oak, False Acacia Robinia, Hazel, Rose, Willows, Sallows, Lime, Elm, Viburnums.

We recommend Buff Tips as a great experience of nature.

Pale Tussock Moth Dasychira pudibunda  

The larvae are tufted with the most delightful coloured shaving brushes, with jet black between the segments, which the larva exposes when threatened. There are different larval colour forms.

Foodplants are many and include Lime, Hazel, Oak, Willow, Poplar, Birch and others.

Cocoons are spun in late summer and the moths emerge in the following spring.

Once known as the Hop Dog, the larvae were encountered in the Hop fields when south Londeners migrated in thousands to Kent to gather the season’s crop.

The Belted Beauty Lycia zonaria

Eggs and larvae have never been offered before. Emerald green eggs are laid in large egg batches. A whole batch of not less than 50 eggs is amazing value, and provides enough larvae to experiment with different foodplants and rearing methods. We advocate using growing foodplant when possible, and sleeving the whole pot of food.

In Britain this species is very rare indeed, and protected. Found in only about 3 localities on sandy nutrient-poor grassland or dunes. Very scarce in Holland, where it occurs in similar coastal areas. Our stock comes from central Europe, where it is sometimes found on dry limestone slopes where the vegetation is sparse. 

The larvae feed on a variety of plants and you may be amongst those who discover new foodplants. 

Eggs are laid in batches particularly on grasses where they can be tucked into pockets and hollow stems. The larvae feed on a variety of vegetation - possibly almost anything that is growing amongst the grasses. They appear to like a variety of foodplants and are recorded as feeding on Dandelion, Dock, Cow Parsley, Clovers, Kidney Vetch, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Yarrow, Creeping Willows and Sallows, Hawthorn, Coltsfoot, Plantains, Burnet Rose and even Flag Iris. The larva, starting black with prominent white spots, becomes medium green, well camouflaged colour, but with a prominent lemon yellow lateral stripe. This is a Geometer - looper caterpillar.

This is one of the few moths that has a wingless female. The female rests sometimes prominently where they more easily attract males, which fly by day and by night. 

The pupa is formed only a little below the ground surface, where it spends the winter. Store winter pupae in a closed plastic box, very cool or refrigerated. To avoid desiccation don't leave in open air. In the emerging cage, keep moist at all times. See the Pupae Nest on this website. Emergence starts in the very early spring.

This is an opportunity not to be missed, to breed a very rare species and see its life history at first hand.

Vapourer Moth Orgyia antiqua

 Eggs are laid by the wingless female in a batch on the cocoon, where they pass the winter and hatch in spring. 

Very interesting both for its moth and its very attractive and colourful caterpillar. Winter eggs are supplied for storage in the cool until spring. The larvae normally hatch in May/June or later, and feed on a wide variety of trees, which include Hawthorn, Willows and Sallows, most fruit trees, Hazel, Rose, Lime and Oak. The larvae are beautifully patterned and coloured, and decorated by prominent shaving brush-like tufts. The cocoon is spun amongst the foodplant.

The male moth is delicate, chestnut brown, with prominent feathered antennae, which are used to detect the wingless female, who emerges from the cocoon and rests on it, calling for a male. She lays her egg batch all over the cocoon where the eggs remain through the winter ready to start off the next generation.

Lackey Moth Malacasoma neustria 

Not a rare species but seldom offered by WWB. Although considered common, the Lackey Moth is found much more rarely than 20 years ago and it is one that can be encouraged so easily. 

The overwintering eggs are laid in tight bands on the bark of the foodplant. Resulting larvae are gregarious until much larger.  They become amazingly beautiful, striped from head to tail with contrasting hues of orange and blue. The head is sky blue, with two prominent black spots, looking like eyes.

The most used foodplants are Hawthorn and Blackthorn, and the larvae also feed on Plum, Apple, Oak, Rose, Bramble, Willows and Sallows. Try them on alternatives, you may discover new foodplants.

The white silken cocoons contain a curious sulphur-like powder, produced by the caterpillar as it pupates.

The female is a small, quite stocky Eggar Moth. Males are less heavily built and very agile. Pairing is easy.  Provide thin branches for the females to lay their bands of eggs, which should be stored cold from November to April. When leaves are produced in spring, let the eggs hatch in the ambient temperature.

Small Eggar Moth Eriogaster lanestris 20 larvae

The moths emerge in March/April. Because of modern practice of hedge management, this once common species is nowadays a rare find. Tight clipping of hedges destroys the habitat and undoubtedly the eggs and larvae.

Egg clusters are laid in batches on branches of the foodplant Blackthorn Prunus spinosa or Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna. The larvae cluster, and even large larvae live within, and on the outsite of a prominent white tent of silk, very often at the end of a branch, with no attempt at concealment. It is likely that the larvae in captivity could be reared on Apple and Plum, though we have not tried these.

Don't be tempted to handle the larvae. They have short, decorative hairs, which easily come away and penetrate the skin, like short cactus prickles, and this gives rise to intense irritation. No doubt this is why the larvae can afford to display themselves in the wild so openly. No predator will try to eat them once they learn, and the larvae are patterned in warning colours to advertise the danger.

To pupate, the larvae descend to form a tight cocoon with a smooth shell-like a nut, in concealed leaf litter or moss, where they spend the winter.

This is a very interesting species to rear and observe. You might help to spread the species locally if you can find thorn hedges that are not regularly trimmed.

Emperor Moth Saturnia pavonia 

Britain’s only Silkmoth. The male and female have similar markings, but the female is larger, and the male is more brightly coloured. The Emperor Moth occurs in many rural areas but is particularly found on heaths, where they breed on Heathers. Eggs are laid in clusters on the heather, looking just like the dead flowerheads from last year.

The larvae feed on a variety of plants, including Bramble, Raspberry, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Apple, Plum, Blackthorn, Oak, Hornbeam, Birch, Heathers and Heaths, Blueberry, Meadowsweet, Wild Rose, Sea Buckthorn, Purple Loosestrife, Willows especially Osier Salix viminalis, Pussy Willow (Sallow). 

The caterpillars cluster in the early instars, eventually spreading out and becoming brightly coloured, as beautiful as such exotics as the Indian Moon Moth. The cocoon is spun in the foodplant. This is the stage that passes the winter.  An interesting construction with a neck and open end, through which the adult emerges in spring.  This is one of the fun species to rear.

Store cocoons in a cupboard until November. Then keep refrigerated until mid- February when they can be put in the emerging cage ready for hatching in March.

Ligurian Emperor Saturnia pavoniella 

Although similar to our Emperor Moth pavonia, pavoniella is slightly larger and, in the male, has a much paler band on the hindwing inner margin. There are other differences in appearance and the intensity of pattern, particularly in the male.

Large larvae are quite distinct from those of pavonia. Foodplants are the same as for pavonia and include Apple, Plum, Blackthorn, Bramble, Hawthorn, Heather, WIllow, Birch, and many others. Pavoniella females pair several times (pavonia only once). Progeny of hybrids of pavonia with pavoniella are infertile, which indicates that pavoniella is a true species. Pavoniella is found in central Europe, extending south to Greece and for some distance into Turkey and well into Asia Minor.

Giant Peacock Moth  Saturnia pyri  

Europe's largest Moth! Larvae sleeved outside do well except in constant wet and cold weather. The large larva, with its apple green colouring and colourful spikey tubercles, is as handsome as the tropical Moon Moths.

The natural foodplants are Blackthorn and Hawthorn but they will often accept fruit trees such a Plum and Apple. Cocoons spun in summer produce moths in the following spring.









 

Tau Emperor Moth Aglia tau 

 This European Silkmoth flies in early spring and is one of the Silkmoths (Saturniidae).  

The young larvae are adorned with antlers, as impressive as the American Hicory Horned Devils! Foodplants include Lime, Oak, Birch, Hawthorn, and other trees and shrubs.

Pupation is in leaf litter. Single brooded. Highly recommended. Very easy to breed: lay the pupae out in February for March emergence. The moths fly and pair by day, and particularly appreciate sunshine. Eggs are laid on the cage sides. 

CEBALLOSI subspecies of Graellsia isabellae. Bustillo and Rubio 1974

This subspecies first officially recognised and described in 1974, is appreciably larger than the nominate form, and other subspecies. We have never had the opportunity to list isabellae ceballosi  before and this is an opportunity not to be missed by the specialist breeder.

Ssp ceballosi is found in the north of Andalucia in Sierras de Segura and Cazoria, in South East Spain.  As well as being measurably larger, the eye-spots, bands and other markings are more clearly defined.

Foodplants, as with isabellae isabellae, Pines, including Scotts Pinus sylvestris.

Spanish Moon Moth Graellsia isabellae 

One of the rarest and most coveted species we list.  The moth and larva are as exotic as any tropical species. 

Foodplant Pine. The larvae change dramatically as they grow, starting with a precise imitation of pine twigs, amongst which they rest by day, then changing to patterns of green, black and white as they venture amongst the foliage. Finally they take on an intricate pattern, adding red to a criptic camouflage that renders them almost impossible to spot against the light in the pine forest. The larvae make a cocoon amongst mosses and leaf litter on the ground.

This is a delicate species that often does best sleeved out of doors, as long as the weather is good. They are used to a warm Spanish climate. Orders are supplied in strict rotation. It pays to order early to be high up the list.