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

Freyer’s Purple Emperor Apatura metis

 Apatura metis is a scarce species from eastern Europe, across to Palaearctic Far Eastern countries. It is associated with watery places where its foodplant Salix alba White Willow grows.

 With some subtle differences of marking, although a touch smaller, at first sight this rare species bears a strong resemblance to Apatura ilia clytie, and clytie  has been used here for the illustrations because this is a first and we have no photographs yet.

 The larvae are best sleeved on growing Willows, which can be planted outside, or potted.  They may well take other species of Salix , including Basket Willow S. viminalis.  The June larvae will produce butterflies this year. The pupae will be formed in the sleeve, dramatically camouflaged amongst the foliage. August larvae can be hibernated outside in sleeves.

Small Purple Emperor Apatura ilia
Rather similar to Apatura iris,  but a little smaller.  The form clytie has a delightful orange flush to a greater or lesser degree, on most specimens.

These larvae, which feed on Poplars and Aspen, will hibernate.  Sleeving is the recommended rearing method. They need little other attention other than ensuring they have sufficient fresh foodplant.

In spring the larvae grow and the pupae will be formed in the sleeve, dramatically camouflaged amongst the foliage.

Spanish Purple Emperor Apatura ilia barcina

This race of the Small Purple Emperor comes from North East Spain (Barcelona, Girona) and Andorra. From June onwards we will be able to supply larvae of this specialised race. This race has the orange flush of A. ilia clytie  but has its own distinct variation of the patterning. The larvae are best sleeved for the winter on growing Sallow Salix caprea or Willows, which can be planted outside, or potted. Leave them undisturbed until the leaves open in spring. They need little other attention other than ensuring they have sufficient fresh foodplant. The pupae will be formed in the sleeve, dramatically camouflaged amongst the foliage.

Wall Brown Butterfly Pararge megera

 This butterfly likes sandy cliffs and grassy pathways. The butterflies fly up and “accompany” you on your walk, always settling just ahead. Sadly this species is reported to be declining. The larvae feed on grasses and are probably best kept on potted coarse grass. The slender striped caterpillar is wonderfully camouflaged on the grasses. The pupa is formed on grass stems and sometimes there are black forms of the pupa. If the larvae are kept warm, they should produce another generation of butterflies this year.

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.

Duke of Burgundy Fritillary Hamearis lucina

 It is years since we have had Duke of Burgundy larvae. Now very hard to obtain. 

Curious oval larvae like those of the Blues, but not green like those, more a straw colour, with rows of black dots. They live on Primrose or Polyanthus leaves.

Not difficult to rear on a potted plant. Resulting pupae have similar colouring and pattern. Store the pupae in a fridge until May when the delightful butterflies emerge.

Small Copper Butterfly Lycaena phlaeas

 The larvae feed on common Dock and Sorrel. If kept warm they may pupate and produce butterflies before winter.  In nature the larvae hibernate deep in plant litter. To hibernate the larvae, keep on a potted foodplant, completely enclosing plant and pot in a sleeve, and keep out of doors in all weathers.

Large Copper Butterfly Lycaena dispar batavus  Larvae

Now MOST DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN!  This is a rare opportunity!  

These larvae will produce adults this summer.

This is the large and richly coloured Large Copper which originated from Freisland in Holland and is almost indistinguishable from the extinct British Large Copper Lycaena dispar dispar. 

Common Dock is an acceptable foodplant, though if you have their natural foodplant Great Water Dock Rumex hydropathalum, that is even better. It has also been reported to us that the larvae seem to prefer Rumex patientia if offered! They can be reared in plastic boxes on fresh foodplant that is changed daily, but they do best, and are less trouble if you can pot up young fresh plants and keep the larvae on these, either in cages or covered with a sleeve. The larvae grow fast.

Pupae are formed on the stems or sides of the cage. The first sight of the newly emerged butterflies is absolutely breath-taking! July larvae may produce another partial brood if kept warm. Otherwise they go into hibernation.

The Common Blue Polyommatus icarus

 This Blue is probably the most wide-spread of all the Blues.  The bright sky-blue of the male is familiar to most people. The larvae feed on Birdsfoot Trefoil, Medick, Rest Harrow and other Leguminosae.

The larvae are very small. If you are not an experienced breeder it would be better to choose one of the easier species to rear.

The Adonis Blue Lysandra bellargus

 The intense blue iridescence of the male is unmatched in Europe. The female has a rich burnt umber colouring.  To raise the larvae you need Horseshoe vetch Hippocrepis comosa, a low-growing plant, covered with yellow flowers in May, requiring calcareous soil.  The larvae, which will also feed on Coronilla, feed rapidly and pupate among the base of the foodplant.  In Britain the Adonis is double brooded, the adults flying in June and August.

The larvae are very small. If you are not an experienced breeder it would be better to choose one of the easier species to rear.

White-letter Hairstreak Strymonidia w-album

Very seldom available. Winter is passed in the eggs stage.  Feed spring larvae on Elm and Wych Elm. Ideally sleeve outside, or pot foodplant to feed sleeved larvae indoors or outside. 

Wych Elm flower buds are breaking in early February, even in the north. These are sometimes on branches higher off the ground. Some even start as early as November in milder winters. Flowering trees need very little patience to search out.  

The larvae only require the buds to be “cracking open” for them to find a crevice to sit in and start burrowing further into the bud.

Deathshead Hawkmoth Acheronia atropos  

For international destinations larvae will be sent because eggs develop too quickly in warm weather.

Everyone’s favourite. In a massive operation most booked orders have now been supplied, and we can now supply new orders. An extreme rarity, migrating to Britain from Africa. Occasionally the larvae are found in potato fields but that’s if you are lucky and these days with modern machinery the chances of larvae being found are even more remote. Due to travel restrictions there is a world shortage of Deathshead in captivity, but our breeders now have superb wild stock, which is being very productive. Orders for pupae will be supplied this summer, as well as eggs and larvae now.

The larvae feed on many plants in the potato family, Solanaceae, but you don’t have to have these to keep the larvae: they do well on Privet. They have also been found feeding on Buddleia, resulting in a pale coloured larva that matches the leaves, but this is not a recommended foodplant.

The duration of the egg stage is just a few days, and the larvae grow probably twice as fast as our native hawkmoth larvae, completing their life cycle in as little as 4-6 weeks in summer temperatures. These larvae will produce another generation of moths within weeks of pupation, but you can keep them cool in the winter months, and have them emerge in spring. 

The moth is just amazing to have alive on your hand! It is furry, and squeaks – almost like handling a little mammal. It also humps its back and displays the blue markings on the body, as well as the famous skull and crossbones on the thorax. The moth needs to feed, not from flowers but from a pad soaked in weak honey or sugar solution. Moths have been found inside beehives, attracted by the sweet smell of honey. 

In summer, the pupae will emerge within about 4 weeks.  In autumn, to overwinter, bury the pupae in light compost that is not too damp but not allowed to dry out. The top of each pupa should be just showing. Store in a cool place (10-15 degrees C) away from predadors. Bring into the warm in April ready for May emergence.