Rearing project updates, mid-May

With northerly winds bringing the region back to weather more fitting of March, I haven't been putting the light trap out. But it's been very busy on the larval rearing front - I have three new projects to report, updates on the others and, sadly, final bulletins on the Brimstone Moth and Coxcomb Prominent. There's almost too much to talk about!

Update on Project 3B (Angle Shades)

Nothing to report except I've moved the jar of soil with the pupa indoors and put a lid on it to keep moisture in.

New Project 7D

Epiphyas postvittana ~ Light Brown Apple Moth

This now well-established Aussie immigrant to the UK is breeding in my garden for the fourth time since I started recording, and, for the third time, on one of my apple saplings. I found one larva on the healthier sapling yesterday (14 May). It's a micro-moth, continuously brooded, and feeds on plenty of things other than apple (rosemary, for instance). I will be leaving this one on the plant rather than bringing it indoors.

This photo is from the first brood of LBAMs I found (Project 7A), in August 2010.

The larva exposed from its spinning

Final update on Project 29A (Brimstone Moth)

The pupa has not been moving for quite a while now, so unfortunately it looks like I've lost it. It probably got dessicated when I put it in the shelter and left the lid of the jar off. I'll keep it for a while just in case.

[Update 19 May: Good thing I did - it ain't dead!]

The pupa, 9 May

The tiny, intricate cremaster

Final update on Project 31A (Coxcomb Prominent)

When I put the pupa back in damp conditions the green gunge appeared again, so I'm pretty sure it's gone too. A real shame. :'(

Update on Project 36A (Lozotaenia forsterana)

Both larvae have now pupated! Typical dark red-brown pupae, but with very fancy moves. When disturbed, rather than giving a short, lazy wiggle like most macro-moth pupae do, they start shaking violently! Obviously that uses up ATP (#biochemistrybant) so disturbance will have to be kept to a minimum. I'll be ensuring the pupae are kept moist and hopefully both will be successful. Pupa #1 (ie. the elder larva which was the first to pupate and the one doing the shaking) measures at 12mm. I won't disturb the other one.

Large Ivy Tortrix #1, 15 May

I also took a video here.

New Project 36B

Lozotaenia forsterana ~ Large Ivy Tortrix

The Large Ivy Tortrix larvae on the ivy on the back wall of my garden are getting on well - I opened two spinnings yesterday and found quite large larvae inside. I didn't originally call this a project when I reported my discovery of the fifteen larvae on 14 April, but for consistency's sake I've decided to make a "Project" out of any larvae I find in the garden.

Update on Project 37A (Tortrix U#266)

As I mentioned previously, the hawthorn larva had left its leaf tent and was running around the container. Well, it eventually settled down and bored a hole into the green stem and ate its way out to the youngest leaves. After I opened the spinning up, the larva moved into a loose spinning of larger leaves on the same old, smelly bit of hawthorn - despite a lovely fresh bit being provided!

The bore-hole, with frass left by the larva, 9 May

Update on Project 38A (Tortrix U#267)

The hazel larva firmly spun together a leaf and a stipule on 6 May and pupated in that cocoon. Today (15 May) I opened the cocoon very carefully, removing a stipule which formed an end-cap on the cocoon, and tipped the pupa out. It's 5mm long, orange-brown in colour, and was quite determined to wiggle out of my fingers!

I'm very much looking forward to its emergence, which shouldn't take more than a few weeks.

The cocoon, with stipule end-cap peeled back, 15 May

The pupa, 15 May

New Project 39A 

Noctuid - Unidentified #268

At the NI Recorders' Day I received a buddleia cutting from our local BC branch secretary which for the past few weeks has been home to a tiny larva. I originally presumed it was a sawfly, as no UK lepidopteran feeds primarily on buddleia. But on closer inspection I'm satified that it's a caterpillar, and probably an Orthosia species like Hebrew Character or Common Quaker, so I'll keep an eye on it. It's currently 8mm long. It's probably better to leave it on the buddleia for the time being, but when it gets a bit bigger I might see what other plants it will accept. It should be a handsome caterpillar anyway when it gets grown.

Rearing up his thorax... "rarrr, I'm big, fear me!" - 10 May

So, with seven projects on the go, I'm a very busy mothman!

[Edited to insert dates on photos, 19 May]