Speyeria cybele larvae

[drdn at mail.utexas.edu]

*Speyeria* often lay a lot of eggs when confined in a paper bag or ziploc bag.
The larvae of most species will not feed (on anything other than the eggsshell
and perhaps eachother) until spring. They over-winter as first or second instar
hairy little larvae. The problem is to keep them for months, moist enough not
to dehydrate without developing mold. They feed on new growth of *Viola* spp.
(some general - some specific). I understand that several of the West Coast
species have been successfully reared using plaster of paris chambers and
artificial food, but I have no further information on this. Late instar larvae
are occasionally findable in the wild where at summer's end there is no violet
and they are reduced to munching on other foliage. I have hatched *S. zerene*
from a larva found eating *Spirea*; *S.* near *violae* from a larva found
eating *Vaccinium (Euvaccinium)* sp., and have found *S. diana* late larva
eating *Castanea* although this one may have been misbehaving as it was
parasitized by a large tachinid.
...........Chris Durden

Quoting Glaucus <glaucus at earthlink.net>:

> Hello,
> 
> I am in the Chicago area, and around June 25th, I noticed a huge emergence
> of Great Spangled Fritillaries (for here anyway!) I saw not less then
> 150-200 in a few hours at a spot I know of. I would love to find some
> caterpillars and raise them, but am having a terrible time locating their
> foodplant, Violet. There are no Violets in bloom here, and despite seeing
> several leaves that appear to be the foodplant, I have come up dry. I would
> appreciate any pointers from people having experience finding wild larvae of
> Speyeria. Thanks!!
> 
> 
> 
>  
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