cecropia larvae

[Chuck Vaughn]

The first cecropia I raised were fed sycamore and they did fine. A couple 
years later I was raising some euryalis on ceanothus. Someone gave me a few
cecropia eggs and I no longer had access to the sycamore. So I said, "You
guys are going to eat ceanothus or die!" They did great. They grew fast and
large and beautiful moths emerged the next spring.

Chuck <aa6g at aa6g.org>

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>My evidence is that, directly opposed to your observations....  Cecropia will
>eat maple,  Polyphemus prefer maple, but are as susceptible to dz as cecropia
>in later instars.  Neither ever took a bite of oak in my experience, and I
>tried them all.  Prometheus will only eay wild cherry, spice bush or magnolia;
>but prefer wild cherry or spice bush. (also known as the spice bush moth.)
>
>LUNAS..... I tried birch and poplar for 3 years... (also box, lilac, cherry and
>elm) When I finally found what wild hickory looked like, I raise 90% to
>maturity.
>
>Anyways... you mentioned alot of food plants that haven't worked for me (albeit
>80-100% humidity seems to be the biggest obstacle for most people).
>
>I'm wondering how regional food plant preferences are biologically imprinted on
>these creatures.