Hornworm moths won't lay eggs

[redshulu]

Hi everyone,
ok so i pupated my hornworms and got them to hatch! I have a humming bird feeder with necter in the cage. I have a tomato plant brushing up against the side of a 16*16*36 cage. There are still no eggs that have been laid. There are a total of 8 moths in there right now and they have been hatching out since the 29th. I did put a plant in there with them tonight (im at work) with the hopes that maybe they wanted to lay eggs on something with leaves and not just on the screen. Any ideas as to why i haven't seen eggs yet?

Thanks,
louie

 

[pssh]

Try a tomato plant. They should start laying soon, but they don't always lay eggs immediately so be patient. Are you sure there are females?

 

[redshulu]

Eggs! Eggs and more eggs! Are they supposed to lay them all over the cage though? Couldnt they just lay them all in one spot? Also how many moths is a good number to put in a cage for best results?

 

[enigmacell]

Sounds like the waiting paid off What temperature are you keeping the moths at?

 

[pssh]

I don't know about the number in the cage. As long as they can fly around freely and have enough room to land/rest during the day they should be fine. These moths don't lay groups of eggs so they scatter them all over the place. (Can you imagine if they laid a ton of eggs on one tomato plant? That plant would be gone in a day and the worms wouldn't have anything to eat!)

 

[redshulu]

the temps in the room that I have them in is 80 degrees. I had them in a 18x18x36 screen cage.... I don't know really if it was big enough.... I had a humming bird feeder with necter in it hanging. I did witness a couple of the moths hovering and feeding. The biggest problem I had was that out of the 10 moths that I did have hatch, they hatched at different times. (do males maybe hatch out first) I was only able to collect 200-300 eggs. They have started to hatch! the hornworms are so so so tiny... prob only about 1/4 of an inch long.

 

[pssh]

Sometimes you have to teach the moths to feed. They can live for quite a while, so it usually doesn't matter if they hatch out at different times (unlike silkworm moths.)

 

[redshulu]

really???? cause my moths lived only like 4 days each max..... I seriously wonder how these things are considered a pest species!

 

[pssh]

I've heard that some of the hawkmoths can live for a good 2+ months.

 

[reptoman]

Watch and see if they are getting their tube into the hole in the hummingbird feeder. I had to modify the little plastic flowers on mine so the hole was shaped more like a funnel. I used a coutersink for a bugle head screw hole. Now their feeding tube slides into the hole easily and they can feed. If you have a tomato plant in the cage they will lay the majority of the eggs on that so you can harvest them every morning. Check the underside of the leaves and there will be tons. I have heard that grape leaves will do the same thing so I am tryng that out. If baby worms eat the grape leaves it is not toxic as with tomato plants. This is just what I have heard recently so please correct me if this is not a good idea. Good luck with your hornworm project. Hope you have plenty of chow. The babies will start hatching from the fresh eggs within 5 days.

 

[pssh]

I've heard the grape leaf thing too, but I would assume that they would prefer tomato/potato (and relatives) more since that is their preferred host. Then again, if they will lay on a cage, they might just lay on any plant.

 

[redshulu]

in some of the kits they have tobacco extract with a sponge.... anyone have experience with the tobacco extract?

 

[pssh]

That would probably work (is it actually tobacco extract or is it nicotine, like in those electronic cigarettes?) I imagine it would be cheaper to buy a tomato plant for a few bucks since its summer though.

 

[reptoman]

I only have 3 moths out so far and 2 of the 3 are linked up together so its looking good for the grapevine. No problem getting them to mate so hopefully I get a ton of eggs on the grapeleaves. I have a fence full of that so its the cheaper option as well.

 

[Norcal55]

I am amazed at how fast Hornworms grow! I have about 30 that have just exploded and are to big for my Chams to eat. Any advice on how I get them to pupate? I might as well try to get some eggs
Thanks.

 

[Lucinda]

I am amazed at how fast Hornworms grow! I have about 30 that have just exploded and are to big for my Chams to eat. Any advice on how I get them to pupate? I might as well try to get some eggs
Thanks.

Yes I put mine in a large medicine bottle with shredded paper wrap it with foil put in in a dark place make sure to put air holes put them in it and they will pupate

 

[Ares05]

This thread is from 2012. Not likely to get an answer.

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

Holy necromancy batman

 

[twinklefingers]

Hatching hawk moths...