Moth Mating

[Paul C Weaver]

Hi Mark,
I do research with polyphemus. The female needs a chemical in oak leaves
which is normally in the air. It stimulates the brain to trigger the
release of the phermone. Put some oak in the cage and see what happens.
If the female is calling then the problem is with the male. He has
phermone overload.  He is constantly around the female's phermone and has
lost his sensitivity to it.  It is like working in a fish factory you get
use to the smell and eventually can't smell it any more.  I would separate
the male for a day or two then place back into the cage at night or
release the male into the wild and see if he returns.

Sincerely,
Paul Weaver

On Thu, 29 May 1997, deering3 wrote:

> Hi folks:
> Is there any one good way to get the large saturnids to mate? I have two 
> males and one female polyphemus that have emerged, I picked them up and 
> attempted to hand pair them as I would with Papilio but this was not going 
> to work. I sort of felt like I was mating two cotton balls! Is it the 
> dark? Space? What? please help, as I am sure that these poor moths don't 
> have a lot of time left in this world.
> 
> Sincerely scaled
> Mark
> 
> 
>