rearing red admiral butterflies

[Barron, Mandy]

Hello
Does anyone here have any experience in raising red admirals (Vanessa
atalanta) in captivity?  I am about to start a PhD project on the closely
related New Zealand red admiral (Bassaris gonerilla) and would appreciate
any tips you could give me.  I hope to get a continuous lab culture going so
I can do experiments during the winter, but I can't find anyone that has
managed to rear a second generation in captivity.  They seem reluctant to
mate and don't lay eggs in captivity.
Thanks.

Mandy Barron
Lincoln University
New Zealand