breaking diapause

[mothman]

Hi Kristina:

        According to "A Silkmoth Rearer's Handbook" by Brian O.C. Gardiner.
3rd edn. 1982, diapause in Attacus is facultative light-controlled. This
means that diapause in the pupa is controlled by the day-length that the
larva experienced. A 16-hour day for the larvae seems to be the controlling
factor. Larvae that experienced less than 16 hours will give pupae that
diapause, those that had greater than 16 will give non-diapausing pupae. The
most common way to break diapause is to subject the pupae to a cold period
(above freezing) for about 12 weeks.
Gardiner's book has 10 pages devoted to diapause in silkmoths; definitely a
must-read.

Tony

Original message:

> I need some information on how to break diapause in  Attacus atlas pupae .
> I have about 100 that I received from two months to two weeks ago.  None
has
> eclosed. Our emerging window is gradually filling up with atlas cocoons.
> They were shipped from the UK to our tropical butterfly house and have
been
> maintained at 82-84F with RH in the 80%'s and misted daily.  I tried a
brief
> CO2 treatment with no luck.  Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any
> help.  Kristina
> Kristina R. Williams
> Entomologist
> Pacific Science Center
> 200 2nd Ave. N.
> Seattle, WA 98109
> kristina_williams at pacsci.org
>
>