Emperor Moth(Saturnia pavonia) adults hatched today, from eggs left in my trap about this time last year.
I'd given up hope, assuming that the pupae had died, so was very pleasantly surprised. I've included some other photos of the stages they have been through.
(Apologies for the layout, Blogger is an appalling app.! I'll edit the HTML directly when I get time.)
Excellent photos Les, and well done with sticking with the pupae. By the way, did they all hatch as this species is known to stay as a pupa for more than one year?
ReplyDeletePeter.
18 hatched healthily so far, 2 didn't inflate their wings and have died. I think there were 23 pupae, so I'll leave them a while longer. I have a lot of new eggs, to start again, though due to their voracious appetites, I'll be releasing most of them locally at probably 2nd. instar.
DeleteOk, the only thing I would suggest is that, if you don't want to hang onto the remaining pupae (if they don't hatch), is that you put them in a safe place as some of them may well hatch next year (or even longer).
ReplyDeleteThey're already safely in the garage (where they spent the winter) and being checked every day.
ReplyDelete