Current EGGS and LARVAE
If you are a beginner and need information on rearing from small caterpillars, or hatching out pupae, please order the All Colour Paperback BUTTERFLIES. INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT SENT WITH EACH SPECIES, you need to acquire basic skills and this book is a simple way of doing so.
Citrus Swallowtail POT LUCK collection of 20 eggs
This is great fun! You get unidentified eggs or larvae that have been laid on Citrus plants in the butterfly house. They might be just one species but are much more likely to be mixed species. Examples could include demoleus, polytes, bianor, rumanzovia, memnon and other related species.
To rear these ideally you need potted Citrus trees in a greenhouse or somewhere you can keep warm and moist. The larvae are likely to accept substitutes such as Choisya and Skimmia.
The larvae develop fast in warm conditions, usually taking no more than 4 weeks from egg to adult, though some of the larger ones need a little longer.
Citrus larvae undergo a number of colour changes through the different instars, starting camouflaged as a bird dropping, but later taking on startling pattern with prominent eye-spots, in shades of green, with beautiful markings.
Don’t miss these – they are real fun!
Clouded Yellow Butterfly Colias crocea
This butterfly migrates and is not resident in Britain. Restrictions on travel have made it difficult to obtain sufficient breeding stock, so there is quite a waiting list. Adequate supplies in 2021 will depend on the ability to travel to obtain breeding stock.
A great favourite with entomologists and easy to rear on potted Clover. The easy way is to enclose the whole pot in a sleeve size 3. The larvae grow fast and will produce butterflies very quickly, particularly in warm conditions.
Bath White Pontia daplidice
Autumn Pupae may also become available.
The larvae feed on Mignonette, a flower of chalk soil, but they also feed on various Mustard family Cruciferae. Some people have done well rearing them on cauliflower - just let them loose on the raw heads!
This is a very rare migrant to Britain, found usually in the Mediterranean region. Baden Powel, a naturalist as well as pioneer, used the dappled pattern on the butterfy’s wings to disguise the plan of Mafeking when dispatched under siege!
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
Available only for delivery to GB addresses, not international orders.
Orders may be sent feeding on diet instead of leaf. This means they may travel better in the journey by post, and they can be changed to leaf on arrival.
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), Burdock, Stinging Nettle, Mallow, Hollyhock and will often take other foodplants.
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. The best way is to enclose pot and foodplant in a sleeve. The WWB zipped sleeves make this a very convenient rearing method.
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 except in the colder months October to March, released to breed in the wild.
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.
Dark Green Fritillary Mesoacidalia aglaia
Best reared on potted Violet. These larvae are in hibernation. Keep the larvae in winter out of doors, in all weathers, protected amongst dead bramble and other leaves, amongst growing Violet. Cover with netting sleeve to exclude predators and to prevent escape.
Marsh Fritillary SCOTTISH Eurodryas aurinia
Very scarce Scottish form. LIMITED NUMBERS!
Larvae feed low amongst the leaves of Devil’s Bit Scabioius, but will also eat Honeysuckle. Honeysuckle starts leafing very early in the year, especially where sheltered in woodland. By February it is not diffficult to find enough foodplant to keep caterpillars well fed. In captivity the larvae are recorded as accepting Ribwort Plantain Plantago lanceolata, Teasel Dipsacus and Snowberry Symphoricarpos.
Pre-hibernation larvae might be induced to develop and produce another generation with long day-length and sufficient warmth.
After waking in the spring the larvae grow fast, pupating in April and emerging as butterflies in May.
Marsh Fritillary Eurodryas aurinia
It's a very long time since we have been able to offer egg masses. Each mass should produce 100-200 larvae. Amazing value!
They feed low amongst the leaves of Devil’s Bit Scabioius, but will also eat Honeysuckle. Honeysuckle starts leafing very early in the year, especially where sheltered in woodland. By February it is not diffficult to find enough foodplant to keep caterpillars well fed. In captivity the larvae are recorded as accepting Ribwort Plantain Plantago lanceolata, Teasel Dipsacus and Snowberry Symphoricarpos.
Cage or sleeve the larvae on growing foodplant, kept out of doors in a spot sheltered from extreme wind, but open to all weather, including frost, rain and snow. This is what winter throws at them in the wild, and they are adapted to it.
After waking in the spring the larvae grow fast, pupating in April and emerging as butterflies in May.
Glanville Fritillary Melitaea cinxia
Feed on Narrow-leaved Plantain. Easiest to keep on potted foodplant, enclosed in a sleeve. The larvae are gregarious, living in a tight bunch at the base of the plant, and spreading out more as they grow larger. The ginger head capsule and jet black body distinguish these larvae from other species.
In Britain this species lives mainly on the Isle of Wight coast, but they have been established elsewhere in Britain. Maybe they could be encouraged in more localities.
These larvae will produce butterflies this spring.
Glanville Fritillary Melitaea cinxia
EGG MASS, never offered before, is best attached to a large and healthy potted foodplant where the larvae can hatch, live in a web and eventually hibernate. We advise keeping the pot caged or sleeved, for protection from predators. An egg mass will produce dozens of larvae.
Feed on Narrow-leaved Plantain. Easiest to keep on potted foodplant, enclosed in a sleeve. The larvae are gregarious, living in a tight bunch at the base of the plant, and spreading out more as they grow larger. The ginger head capsule and jet black body distinguish these larvae from other species.
In Britain this species lives mainly on the Isle of Wight coast, but they have been established elsewhere in Britain. Maybe they could be encouraged in more localities.
Pearl-bordered Fritillary Clossiana euphrosyne
Becoming rather a scarce species. Very difficult to obtain.
Larvae best kept on a pot of violet enclosed in a sleeve or escape-proof cage.
Grayling Butterfly Hipparchia semele
This heathland butterfly is a joy to watch, particularly when it rests and turns itself at an angle away from the sun to cast the minimum shadow. Such a clever ruse! Easily reared on potted coarse grasses. The pupa is formed in a loose cocoon amongst the roots of grasses, looking rather moth-like.
Marbled White Butterfly Melanargia galathea
A favourite from the chalk downlands of southern Britain. The female scatters her spherical eggs, unattached, amongst meadow grasses. The larvae hibernate on potted coarse grasses and produce butterflies next year. To hibernate these larvae you need potted grass, securely contained in a netting sleeve. Make sure you evict any spiders or other predatory creatures! Keep the pot outside in natural weather conditions.
In spring the larvae will stray and again in summer when they are ready to find a secluded place in which to hang and change to pupae, so make sure they are in a secure cage.