Stimulating Egg Production

[JCW1925 at aol.com]

Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2000 09:24:28 -0600
 From: "W PERRY PAYNE" <wppayne at ktc.com>
 Subject: Stimulating Egg Production
 
Dear Fellow Farmers:
 
 Within the last few days I have had a few Monarch females successfully bred 
and with the limited supply of Monarch breeding stock I am wondering the best 
procedures to achieve maximum egg laying.  Can anyone offer methods of 
stimulating egg laying from these females?  Thank you for your help.
 
 Deborah Payne
 deborah at livebutterfly.com
  >>
Deborah:
   In our indoor  breeding laboratories at Educational Science we use   16.5" 
x 30" x 28" butterfly terrarium cages (Educational Science product number LH 
38) to stimulate gravid females to maximize  egg laying.   Under each cage, 
we use  a 48"  shop light with two  48 " GE Sunshine bulbs  supplemented with 
an  incandescent light and a halogen work light on timers.  Inside the cage 
we place a tray of 18  x  4"  size A. curassavica young milkweed plants  
which just touch the top of the cage (horizontal configuration).   The 
laboratory is kept at between  77-80 F and a cigar shop humidifier runs at 
all times. Using this method, we get up to  20 eggs per milkweed leaf.   
After the tray of milkweed is inundated with monarch eggs, we replace it with 
a fresh tray of 18 plants.   For breeding we use the 29" x 29" x 48"  
Butterfly terrarium (Educational Science product number LH 175) with hanging 
feeder.    For Painted Ladies we use multiple 14.5" x 14.5" x 25" Butterfly 
Terrariums. (Educational Science product number LH 22).  All Butterfly 
Terrariums  have a tailored  twin zipper enclosure that snugly fits over a 
sturdy easy to assemble ABS plastic frame.    The butterfly terrariums are 
great for field work, easy to assemble and will fit in a back pack.   The 
entire cage can be disassembled and  soaked in Clorox bleach.  The Butterfly 
Terrariums are the highest quality lowest cost butterfly cages on the market. 
  For more information, and a working view of the butterfly terrariums go to 
www.educationalscience.com and select the category Butterfly Terrariums.  

James Wiggins
Educational Science
www.educationalscience.com
1-800-299-6791