rearing red admiral butterflies

[Sunsol]

I have some experience raising caterpillars, but never managed to mate
adults. Once I put one of those bed netting things over my pellitory. The
newly emerged adults didn't seem too unhappy in there. But when I found a
wild adult laying and put her in, she got agitated and wouldn't lay anymore.
I got gulf fritillaries to mate in that tent, but not red admirals. Good
luck with your project.

Sally
Barron, Mandy <BarronM at agresearch.cri.nz> wrote in message
news:3E9E4845EF43D411AF7400508B4AB23E089B32 at lakefront.agresearch.cri.nz...
> 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
>