avoiding infections in rearing programs

[Richard Worth]

Something else you might try that is similar is using 35mm film 
cannisters.  You can punch a hole in the top and stuff some plants 
down in.  Just ask a film developing place for some of theirs that 
are to be recycled.  I've had good success with these.  Just a low 
cost similar option to the aqua-pics.

Regards, Rich


>I have found that inserting shoots of the foodplant into the little 
>"aqua-pics" that florists use keeps the plant material fresh longer 
>while avoiding the need to maintain high humidity. The snug fit of 
>the stem through the rubber (vinyl) cap also prevents larvae from 
>crawling down into the water and drowning. Aqua-pics (they may have 
>other commercial names) are readily available at florist supply 
>companies.
>
>Robert Dana, Ph.D.
>MN DNR
>Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program
>651 297-2367
>Email: robert.dana at dnr.state.mn.us
>
>  >>> "Cris Guppy & Aud Fischer" <cguppy at quesnelbc.com> 1/26/00 9:23:28 PM >>>
>The most common reason for disease when rearing is high humidity. This is
>tendancy is greatest for species that are adapted to low humidity habitats.
>Since you were providing grass at 2-3 day intervals, presumably you were
>rearing in sealed jars at high humidity to maintain the freshness of the
>grass. Keeping your cultures disease free at high humidity will be
>difficult, given that the grass is unlikely to be sterile unless grown in
>sterile lab conditions. You will have to assess which is more feasible -
>maintaining a sterile culture or providing a low humidity environment.
>During my Masters thesis project I lost my entire 500 Parnassius larvae due
>to high humidity rearing.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Koen.Berwaerts <berwaert at uia.ua.ac.be>
>To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
>Date: January 26, 2000 1:32 AM
>Subject: avoiding infections in rearing programs

Richard A. Worth
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Plant Division
rworth at oda.state.or.us
(503) 986-6461