me thinks it`s "moth time" again

[MissEllie]

Last year one of the kids was given a butterfly hatching kit - did what it said on the tin - the kids loved it
Enjoy your moth babies Ock

[Mo]

We reared some butterflies at playgroup, from the caterpillars I'd collected off my cabbages.
At least when we released them they were 4 miles from my garden.

[p.penn]

Ok - I know this sounds a bit thick, they only lived a week? Did they just fly to the fridge and lay eggs for you? If you moved them, wouldn't they die?

[julie62]

Did they just fly to the fridge and lay eggs for you?

I thought that too

[ock]

Ok - I know this sounds a bit thick, they only lived a week? Did they just fly to the fridge and lay eggs for you? If you moved them, wouldn't they die?

there was no eggs in my fridge crazypants

last year when my caterpillars turned into pupa`s, I let half hatch out into moths, these moths "paired" and mated and then laid their eggs in the moth cage, then they died, so the "moth" only lives for about a week, a few of them did live double this, the other half of the pupa`s were placed into the fridge to stop them hatching into moths, if you keep them cold they think it`s winter, now I`ve taken the pupa out of the cold and into my warm house so they should hatch out into moths now, when they do they`ll mate and lay eggs which I will hatch into caterpillars

[Gwenoakes]

I will take your word for that Ock.

[LittleBrownFrog]

He's going to hatch lots and lots of moths, and then use them to fly up to visit Annie & Eck, he's going to be the Moth-Man of Mousehole!

With a nice chianti!

So is it a breeding cycle? You'll end up with their babies babies?

yeah, each time I`ll have more and more, in a few years when I have enough I will tie string to the moths legs and see if they can lift my body weight when they all flap together , then I will fly around the country with my giant flock of moths at night , well, for a week anyway, then they`ll all die

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=30833&hilit=moth&start=45

[p.penn]

I hate to admit this Ock, but I will be somewhat impressed if this crazy plan works and you actually get more moths.

[Stef]

What do they eat??

DO they eat?? Daft question, ignore it!

[ock]

the moths don`t eat, they don`t even have a mouth, they only need to live long enough to mate and lay eggs, the caterpillars on the other hand eat, and when I say eat I mean really eat , they stuff themselves stupid , I`ve feed mine on birch, but they will eat a few other plants too like walnut

[Mo]

The ones that laid eggs last year. Did you rear the caterpillars?

[ock]

no, I don`t think you can over winter the eggs and all the leaves had fallen off the trees so I wouldn`t of had any food for them, the chooks ate the eggs with some warm mash , I have noticed 4 or 5 eggs still on the side of the cage from last year, have to keep an eye on them to see if they do hatch, don`t think they will though

[Annie]

I didn't follow your moth thread last year Ock, but have read this with interest and agree they are beautiful creatures.
Please don't let me come back as a lunar moth - no mouth - can't eat ,can't talk - doesn't sound like me that.

[sazchops]

Yesterday I went to my GMIL's house, they had hanging on the wall 2 huge cabinets 1 full of butterflies and 1 full of moths. ( very old 40/50 years ) It is an awful thing to do to a creature but it is done now so I had a look, some as small as my little finger nail, some bigger than my hand! Amazing! If I see them again I'll get a picture!

[ock]