Hornworm Pupal ready

[draetish]

Okay, so about 3 1/2 weeks ago I had HW bury themselves in 8 inches of dirt. I figure it is getting close so I followed the instructions from The Manduca Project on building a rearing box. Here it is and the nine pupal I have and the only things lacky is a hummingbird feeder with nectar and a host plant which will be added tomorrow. Wish me luck and if successful, I'll need to find some takers.

 

[laurie]

I will be thrilled to be a "taker" i would also love to learn how it goes so I can try it. You go girl.

 

[FroggtheCham]

I'll be watching too!!! Good luck. I too will be interested in taking a few off of ur hands!!My guys LOVE them. Worm or moth form !

 

[draetish]

Ya'll are first on my list. Keep in mind I will be sending you eggs so check it out and get ready!

 

[FroggtheCham]

Ya'll are first on my list. Keep in mind I will be sending you eggs so check it out and get ready!

Sweet!! I'll study up now. I've pupated and hatched moths, but not from eggs....yet! this is exciting!! Thank you, I'll keep my fingers crossed!!

 

[draetish]

Sweet!! I'll study up now. I've pupated and hatched moths, but not from eggs....yet! this is exciting!! Thank you, I'll keep my fingers crossed!!

you got it Franie!

 

[GooglezNvincent]

Warning!

Okay, so about 3 1/2 weeks ago I had HW bury themselves in 8 inches of dirt. I figure it is getting close so I followed the instructions from The Manduca Project on building a rearing box. Here it is and the nine pupal I have and the only things lacky is a hummingbird feeder with nectar and a host plant which will be added tomorrow. Wish me luck and if successful, I'll need to find some takers.

I tried this myself and didn't realize what I was dealing with. The pupae are relatively small compared to the moth that comes out of them. I don't mind insects but I REFUSED to touch these monsters! LOL have fun when they hatch out they excrete their excess fluid, basically they diarrhea EVERYWHERE!
On the plus side your enclosure looks great best of luck hope everything works out!

 

[draetish]

I tried this myself and didn't realize what I was dealing with. The pupae are relatively small compared to the moth that comes out of them. I don't mind insects but I REFUSED to touch these monsters! LOL have fun when they hatch out they excrete their excess fluid, basically they diarrhea EVERYWHERE!
On the plus side your enclosure looks great best of luck hope everything works out!

Thanks for the heads up on the diarrhea. I know they're big and I don't mind that, I'll just think of them as birds, LOL!

 

[reptoman]

I hope this works for you Donna. If it does I would definitely be wanting to buy some hornworms. Good luck!

 

[FroggtheCham]

Thanks for the heads up on the diarrhea. I know they're big and I don't mind that, I'll just think of them as birds, LOL!

The moths are very large, but pretty!!! Thinking of them as birds'll help ! As big as they are, they are one of the feeders Frogg WILL eat! U can cut the top off of a milk jug and place it over the dirt bin. When they hatch, they will be contained with in that space until u let them out. This way, the meconium will stay in this space and not all over ur moth enclosure!!! yuck. Don't worry, you'll know when they emerge, they sound like small helicopters!! But if u are like me, they don't get a chance to dry their wings b4 I find them and let them out!!

 

[draetish]

The moths are very large, but pretty!!! Thinking of them as birds'll help ! As big as they are, they are one of the feeders Frogg WILL eat! U can cut the top off of a milk jug and place it over the dirt bin. When they hatch, they will be contained with in that space until u let them out. This way, the meconium will stay in this space and not all over ur moth enclosure!!! yuck. Don't worry, you'll know when they emerge, they sound like small helicopters!! But if u are like me, they don't get a chance to dry their wings b4 I find them and let them out!!

Great idea, thanks!

 

[FroggtheCham]

It happened to me once, b4 I devised this plan!!! They grow so fast, that b4 I got my beardie, I was never able to feed them off fast enough!! I pupated in 2liter bottles! What ever works u know!!

 

[Texas Panther Man]

If you need to get rid of some pm me donna.

 

[GooglezNvincent]

The moths are very large, but pretty!!! Thinking of them as birds'll help ! As big as they are, they are one of the feeders Frogg WILL eat! U can cut the top off of a milk jug and place it over the dirt bin. When they hatch, they will be contained with in that space until u let them out. This way, the meconium will stay in this space and not all over ur moth enclosure!!! yuck. Don't worry, you'll know when they emerge, they sound like small helicopters!! But if u are like me, they don't get a chance to dry their wings b4 I find them and let them out!!

I could be wrong but I though you are supposed to let them spread their wings so when they dry they wont be malformed. That way they can fly, because they mate only while flying.

 

[FroggtheCham]

I could be wrong but I though you are supposed to let them spread their wings so when they dry they wont be malformed. That way they can fly, because they mate only while flying.

I should've been more specific. There is plenty of room inside the container for multiple moths to hatch and dry their wings. I am usually looking daily around the time they should be hatching, that I find them b4 I hear them in the container. I move them into another container with out dirt to finish drying and expel their meconium. No mess this way!!! Some have hatched and dried in the origional container, these are the ones that wake me up at noc. It sounds like a small helicopter in the bug room!!! The lid on the hatching container does not prevent them from drying, just from escaping and spraying meconium everywhere.....

 

[Khammy87]

Donna,

I have several hornworms getting ready to pupate, they starting burrowing themselves about 3 days ago.. I just wonder what you are using for them to lay their eggs. From my understanding they need either a tobacco leaf or tomato leaf. Some input would be appreciated! Thanks!!

 

[CleaTheChameleon]

Whats the update on this Donna?

 

[ColorCham427]

EVERYTHING is on manduca project, I'm not sure why people continue to fail at breeding manduca sexta... It's not that it's hard to breed them, it's a pain to collect the eggs.

 

[draetish]

Donna,

I have several hornworms getting ready to pupate, they starting burrowing themselves about 3 days ago.. I just wonder what you are using for them to lay their eggs. From my understanding they need either a tobacco leaf or tomato leaf. Some input would be appreciated! Thanks!!

I was going to put some fake ivy in there and see if they lay on that.

 

[draetish]

Whats the update on this Donna?

Still no moths