SPRING and SUMMER EGGS and LARVAE Order now for supply in season
American Moon Moth Actias luna North America
A very attractive Moon Moth that is double brooded and is very easy to rear. Larvae of the first brood produce moths this year.
The larvae feed on Walnut, and have been recorded as accepting Liquidambar, Birch, Plane, Maples, Aspen, Plum, Sallow, Osier Willow and several kinds of Oak. We have excellent results with Walnut and Osier.
Store autumn cocoons cool, even in a fridge from December onwards. In April they can be incubated for emergence in May.
Giant Atlas Moth Attacus atlas
One of the largest of all moth species in the world! The larvae feed well on Privet, at any time of the year, and might accept Portuguese Laurel. They require very clean conditions, always with fresh food. Alternative recorded foodplants include Willows, Lilac, Apple, Plum, Ash, Cherry and Tree of Heaven Ailanthus. Atlas larvae like to browse on several foodplants and settle for the one or more that they like.
The larvae like warmth 25 -30 degrees C and humid jungle conditions, which are best achieved in a tank or plastic container, rather than a netting cage. Given these conditions the larvae are not difficult to rear, and spin cocoons in about 8 weeks from hatching.
Antheraea yamamai Japan and Central Europe
A rewarding and easy species to rear in spring. The eggs are stored cool for the winter. Bring them into room temperature when the buds open, and the larvae hatch in a couple of weeks or so.
The caterpillar, a close relative of Antheraea pernyi, the Chinese Oak Silkmoth, grows very large. It has a green face and more interestingly, it spins a wonderful egg-shaped cocoon of BRIGHT GREEN silk. Very easy to rear on Oak. The larvae sometime take leaves of other trees and shrubs. Hawthorn is a early substitute for Oak. The pupa is spun in summer and does not emerge until well into autumn. Eggs laid in summer, are dormant through winter; they can be refrigerated, and hatch when the buds open in spring.
The female moth may be a bright canary yellow, with large ringed eye-spots, one in the centre of each wing. Colouring, especially in the male, is rather varied. Both sexes are illustrated with quite different colour forms.
Bullseye Moth Automeris io North America
Eggs and Larvae of the Bullseye Moth are not available every year. This small silkmoth has a number of interesting characteristics.
The male and female are distinctly different colours – both have the enormous eye markings on the hindwings which are exposed when the moth is disturbed.
The larvae are covered by branched spines – don’t touch them – they sting like a nettle! They are gregarious until the larvae are quite large, changing colour at each skin change.
For pairing, keep the moths in a cage the size of the Pyjama Mini Cage. Fertile eggs develop a black dot which is the micropyle, through which the embryo breathes. A useful indicator of fertility, not present in most other species.
The larvae are polyphagous, ie they will accept a wide variety of foodplants, which include such trees as Oak, Lime, Willow, Hazel, Bramble, Apple, Hawthorn and more.
Eri Silkmoth Philosamia cynthia ricini
A very attractive form with dark banded moths. Very easy indeed to breed in captivity.
The larvae feed on Privet, and are very easy to rear in all seasons. Other evergreen foodplants accepted include Portuguese Laurel Prunus lusitanica, which they relish, Rhododendron, Laurel, and Golden-spotted Laurel Acuba.
Deciduous foodplants: Tree of Heaven Ailanthus is quite their favourite food. They also thrive on Willows, especially Osier Salix viminalis, Cherry, Laburnham, Lilac, Rose, Plum, Apple, Ash, Birch, Elder and doubtless many more.
The larvae are gregarious when young, yellow and black. Larger larvae are covered with white waxy powder. This subspecies is continuously brooded and can be kept going in all seasons. The cocoon is white and can be used to produce spun silk.
Cherry Moth Callosamia promethea North America
The male and female moths are so different that they might be taken for two different species. The male is mainly black, with very shapely wings. The ground colour of the female is wine red.
Promethea flies and breeds by day: the males like sunshine but must not be left out to bake. Pairing is often easy, and sometimes difficult!
The larvae are gregarious until quite large, when they take on a very unusual appearance, being white, with knobbles like sealing wax in bright reds, yellows and oranges.
Foodplants include Lilac and Cherry, Privet, Ash, Apple, Pear, Oak, Rhododendron, Willow, Lime, Tulip Tree Liriodendron, Peach, possibly Maple, Poplar and even Pine will also be taken.
Squeaking Silkmoth Rhodinia fugax Far East 15 eggs
We are sure that Rhodinia fugax will bring a lot of pleasure to breeders, and happy memories to those who have reared the Squeaking Silkmoth before.
Large larvae squeak when touched or disturbed by noise. Even the pupa squeaks within the extraordinary cocoon, which is green and shaped like a pitcher plant, with an open top. The vessel would fill with water when it rains, but the caterpillar spins a drainage hole in the bottom!
Foodplants include Oak, Sycamore, Maples, Willows and Sallows, Osier, Beech, Hawthorn, and doubtless many other trees and shrubs. Younger larvae change colour at each skin change. Final instar larvae have a clearly defined lateral demarkation between a dark green underside and bright lime green topside, which breaks the recogniseable shape of the caterpillar and helps it to avoid detection by predators.
Moths emerge in autumn. Males are beautifully patterned in chestnut brown. Females are much larger, and patterned in yellow. Eggs laid in autumn remain unhatched until buds open in the spring. Store in a fridge or very cold place, slightly humid, but beware of mould. Don't keep them chilled longer than necessary. You should incubate the eggs as early as food is available in spring. March and April are the best months to incubate.