Automeris naranja

Kumo

Intermediate

Posts: 110

First Name: Lorenzo

Country: Italy

Saturday, February 6th 2010, 1:07pm

Automeris naranja

Dear breeders,

I'm currently rearing Automeris naranja larvae. The eggs hatched on February 3 and I have 7 larvae now.
I've thought to feed them with Prunus laurocerasus. The temperatures are 20-22 ° C and I spray on several times during daytime. I keep them in a little Petri dish (see attached photo).
They ate a little in 3 days, so I was wondering if there are alternative plants for naranjas larvae, which, I know, takes a lot of time to develop. I haven't enough privet (Ligustrum) or evergreen oak (Quercus ilex), and Hibiscus was rejected immediately.
Otherwise, it would be possible to feed caterpillars of the first and second instar on Ligustrum vulgare, and then, the caterpillars of the third until the fifth instar, with Prunus laurocerasus?

Many thanks,
Lorenzo

Kumo

Intermediate

Posts: 110

First Name: Lorenzo

Country: Italy

Saturday, February 6th 2010, 1:13pm

And this is what they have eaten so far.

polythemus

Member

Posts: 9

First Name: steve

Country: Canada

Monday, February 8th 2010, 2:17am

It looks like your off to a good start so far.
I have noticed many Automeris species do not feed much if at all for the first few days. A.Larra and A.Denticulatta both did not eat anything at all for 4 days for me.
after that they accepted willow and pupated with no problems.

sometimes it also helps to keep the newly hatched larvae in the dark so they don't wander too much.

I think yours will be fine on the hostplant you offered as it looks like they've already grown a bit.

Good luck,

Steve.

Kumo

Intermediate

Posts: 110

First Name: Lorenzo

Country: Italy

Monday, February 8th 2010, 7:41am

I found here on Actias that some people had success with this species feeding larvae on Rubus sp..
As you can see in the thread of Samia ricini, I don't think Prunus laurocerasus is a good foodplant idea if at the same time you use little containers like Petri dishes to rear early instar. When they will be older, if they accept it, then in a cage L3 to final instar will eat Prunus laurocerasus.

polythemus

Member

Posts: 9

First Name: steve

Country: Canada

Monday, February 8th 2010, 8:15am

rubus (bramble) has worked for me in the past also. mabee throw in a few leaves and see if they take to it.

Renco

Member

Posts: 71

First Name: Renco

Country: Netherlands

Monday, February 8th 2010, 9:49pm

As Steve said, just hatched larvae don't eat much the first couple of days. I had good results raising them on P. laurocerasus so I don't think that will cause any problems. Even in small and closed containers they didn't seem to have much trouble with the hydrogen cyanide from the leaves.