mating tricks for Actias...

[Matthew Smith]

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>To anyone who has successfully raised Actias atlas and/or Actias selene, I
am passing the following questions on from a young correspondent in UK who
isn't subscribed to this list. 
Richard has several females and 2 male A. atlas, plus a pair of A. selene
moths, all under one week old, but none of them has mated at all<

In my experience Actias selene mate very quickly, within a day or two of
emerging from their pupa.  Males seem to loose interest in females the
older they get (Viagra for moths?) amd spend most of their time battering
themselves to bits on the sides of the cage

> I told him to increase the temp and humidity, so he has them in the
bathroom at 80 degrees.<

May help if they are still in the mood, plus a large cage so that
interested males are not disturbed by others flying around.  

> ('Tho, what he's gonna feed any resultant larvae is beyond me!!)<

At this time of the year here in the UK, try privet for Attacus atlas and
rhododendron for Actias selene, though you will nedd a LOT of rhodo if you
have a big batch of larva.  A final instar A.selene larva in its last week
of caterpillarhood will eat about three big end of branch leaf rosettes of
rhodo per day but they do well on this plant.  For more info try the AES
Silkmoth Rearers Handbook  

Regards

Matt


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Matthew Smith
MatSmith1 at compuserve.com