Stages of Lunar Moth from Egg to Moth (hopefully)

Hi Everyone, I started this thread to document the development of the Luna Moth. When I first saw a LM in my backyard in March, I became intestate in their life cycles.

Thanks to the website Butterflies and Moths of North America, I received LM eggs on 4/27/07.

I ordered soufflé cups for the cats and the first ones hatched today. They eat sweet gum tree leaves, which are readily available in my backyard. Hope that they make it!

Here are the new homes of the first cats

Close up, you can even see the inhabitant :)

Maria, won't it be too hot for them in those cups in the sun?
Josephine.

Hi Josephine! Thank you for you input. Believe me, I am grateful for any suggestions/comments because I am very new to this. I keep the cats indoors per instructions that I received with the eggs and I only took the pic outside. I could have been more specific because with the new home, I was referring to the cups.

Now if I could only get all of them to eat...

Now that makes sense, I just didn't know what you were doing.

Maria - That is really cool getting those Luna Moth eggs/cats! I am jealous!!! LOL! Glad you started a thread about your new babies! I am excited for you!!! Keep posting photos as they grow. We are all interested in their progress.

AAAWW Becky, that is so sweet! Did you ever get your cats to eat? I am starting to have the same problem with mine. All of a sudden, I find all these imperfections on the leaves and want to remove them… The instructions recommend removing any galls or insects from the leaves before feeding and now, I see “spots” all over the leaves. I better stay away from lettuce for a while, LOL.

Josephine, I don't know what I'm doing, either. *chuckle* …

Maria - My two little Giant Swallowtail cats ARE eating. They are slow growing at this instar stage. But they are both still alive. Thank goodness I had some host plants for them. They seem to thrive on the Hercules Club. :-)

I would wait and see what is happening. I thought mine weren't eating either, but turns out that they were. Hard to tell when they are that small.

I am impressed Maria... I will definitely be contacting B&M NA! Good luck with your babies!

By the way, is just putting the leaves in with the cats how you were instructed to do it? The only reason I ask, is when I raise Monarch cats, I bring in a cutting of the milkweed, and slip it up in to the "aviary" for lack of the correct term.

(Where are my photos of last year???) Just moved a month ago, so let me find my photos and load them on this computer, and I'll try to post a couple to show you.

Karen

Maria...this is so exciting! I can't wait to see their progress! Thanks for sharing with us.

Good going Maria. It's good to see your Luna Moth and their life cycle. We don't get those beauties this far south...I guess if we did I might be tempted to obtains eggs myself...but I still prefer to entice butterflies and moths to my yard by planting their larval host and nectar plants.

It's great that you are raising these little guys. Every egg that makes it to maturity is a wonderful thing!!! Kudos!!! You can then look forward to the moths you release finding mates and continuing the cycle :o)

Just curious...the leaves seem to be drying out??? Couldn't you use a bigger cat cage and use wet floral foam to hold fresh cuttings of sweet gum - the leaves would remain fresher long...and tender enough for those young cats to eat.

This link below is of a previous post showing the use of floral foam and photos of various cat houses that I've made or purchased and photos from many other members too.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/643281/

~ Cat

Five more cats hatched overnight :)

Karen, yes the instructions were to remove any gulls and insects from the leaves, and to wash & pat dry the leaves before feeding. After removing the gulls, the leaves are usually in little pieces because of the gulls.

Cat, the instructions advised me to keep the cats separated in small containers because they could nip each other, causing fatal injuries. I received a 4-oz sample cup with the eggs (shown in the second pic) and the cups I bought are 5.5-oz for a little bit more room. I clean the cups daily & change the leaves 2 x daily.

Were did you get your pop-up laundry hamper? I bought two at Walmart, only to find out that they were not fully enclosed after opening one.

Maria

Let's see if I can do this...

I'm going to make my first attempt at adding a photo. If it goes through, I'll edit to tell ya about it.


(Hhmmmmm...) Didn't work. Need more time to figure out the photo upload on this thing.

Back in a few....

This message was edited May 5, 2007 12:46 PM

This message was edited May 5, 2007 12:48 PM

OK... let me try one more time.

Ha! There we go! Finally!!! OK... I made this butterfly house last year from instrusctions I saw somewhere. You use two embroidery hoops, some netting I found in the fabric area at Wal_mart, a piece of a brwon paper bag, and twist ties.

Stretch the paper bag piece between the two section of one hoop, along with one end of the netting rolled around the inner hoop... (does that even make sense?). Tighten the hoop down. Slip the inner hoop in to the other end of rolled netting, then place the outer hoop on and tighten down to secure. Use twist ties at top to make a loop for hanging, and twist ties at bottom to close. I put cuttings of milkweed in a butter bowl, then place inside the house, and secure the twist ties around the bottom of the milkweed stems.

(Gotta find the rest of my photos so this makes sense...)

Karen

This message was edited May 5, 2007 1:06 PM

Hi Guys, quick update: Of 25 eggs, so far four cats hatched on 5/4, seven on 5/5 and one yesterday. All are happy and munching away. :)

Three day old caterpillar

Awesome Maria!!! That little cat looks quite healthy and the leaf is fresh. Keep us posted!!!

~ Cat

Oohhh, what a cutie!

Maria - I have been enjoying this thread! Keep us posted with more photos and information as you continue raising them. I just think it's so neat that you are able to raise these gorgeous moths!!! Maybe with all that you are raising .... some will fly south to me! LOL!

Hah, never seen a thread like this. Putting on watch list...

Thanks Everyone! This is my "cat mobile".

Can you see the little guy? Now 4 days old. Don't worry, the cup is not wet inside, that is just the light.

They're precious Maria!!

I love the "Cat" mobile.

A cat during "diapering" or cup change

...another one (all taken today)

Could this be a change to second instar? This cat is 3 days old and has been inactive since this morning. Now he is nice & green with what appears to be shed skin next to him. I understand that Luna cats can have up to nine instars.

Correct Maria, They are into the scond instar!
Excellent work, they look great!

Thanks Deb!

Cat, could you tell me where you got your pop-up laundry hamper? I bought two at Walmart, only to find out that they are not fully enclosed with zippers or Velcro.

Thanks,

Maria

Maria, this looks just like mine but I can't remember where I got it.

http://www.toysrus.com/sm-butterfly-pavillion--pi-2338147.html

Here's a pop-up laundry hamper I found. This is actually a great idea!

http://www.handylaundry.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=35

Karen

Thanks Ladies. I found an affordable hamper that is mostly enclosed here: http://www.dormbuys.com/index.php?action=item&id=1080

Today’s pics: I found this little guy on the gum tree leaves I picked today. Don’t know what it is but will keep him anyway.

Cat at 5 days. I keep zooming in a little more daily to make them look bigger...just kidding

This one shed today

Today's pic of a 6-day old caterpillar

Great photos Maria. Excellent work! Don't forget to add your best egg, caterpillar and cocoon photos to the Bug Files for the Luna Moth. It always helps to relate the eggs, caterpillars and cocoon to the adult moth.

~ Cat

Will do. Thanks, Cat.