cecropia rearing/predation

[Ron Gatrelle]

The batch of cecropia ova I obtained a few weeks ago are now well into
becoming large larvae.  (In my original post on this I stated that there
were about 70 ova obtained before I released the female outside again to
finish laying her eggs.)  About 30 of these larvae have been placed on
various Sweet Gum and Cherry trees around the house. This has been done
from the time they were second instars to the present 5th. So far only a
couple have survived outside. I have yet to observe what the predators are.

Wasps were the main suspects when the larvae were little. Birds are
naturally suspected, however today it occurred to me that the several
squirrels about might be what is getting some of the bigger ones now. Does
anyone have any confirmed information on squirrels as larval predators? I
wish I had the time to just sit all day and wait to see what is getting
them - but I don't.

The two that were still found were put out three days ago about 12 feet up
in a densely leafed area of a Sweet Gum tree. The ones on the Cherry
vanished the quickest. To answer the obvious questions - yes, they readily
accepted the plants offered and no they did not crawl away. They would stay
in the area I put them until they became prey.  One group of 6 third instar
larvae all vanished in about two hours.  They had been on the end of a Gum
limb about 7 feet up for about a week. I had checked them about noon but
when I went back around two or three they were all gone.

My plan is to still release them so they can make their cocoons outside in
the yard. I had hoped to do this before they were fully mature. But what
ever is getting them is really doing a good job. So at this point I am
disposed to wait till they have stopped feeding and are ready to start
spinning.

One other interesting note. The first group I put out (newly second instar)
lasted till into their third. I noted that they matured a lot slower than
the ones I had inside. I attributed this to the fact that the nights
outside were a lot cooler then the temps inside. Thus, they ate less at
night - and grew slower than the ones who were chomping all night long
inside.

Ron


 
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