After a few more of our Carolina sphinx moths (Manduca sexta) eclosed back in Albany, California, our mother successfully created a pairing. Stock originated as eggs, June 2017. Our Manduca's back at home started emerging a few days ago on August 29; our mother has been keeping us updated ever since. She reported that three more emerged the following morning on the 30th. Although she pinned the first one, she set the other three outside in the cage picture above outside at our request. We figured that if these are like other sphinx, a natural pairing in a large outdoor flight cage would probably be the best way to go. The next day, she put in more newly emerged moths into the cage, but there were no pairings. It not until the second night on August 31 that a pairing was finally obtained which is shown in the picture above. Based on our conversation, I don't think that she even fed the moths at any point so far, but that should be fine for the first few days and it certainly didn't stop them from pairing! When our mother checked on the pairing on the morning (probably somewhere between 8-9 AM) after it occurred, the participants had already broken up. She couldn't tell which female was the one that had paired, so she took them all inside into a container with a branch of tomato. According to her, about 20-30 eggs were laid that night (September 1), scattered haphazardly and not all on the plant, although we are not sure to what extent the plant is even necessary for these crazy things. Sometime later on the next day (September 2), she changed her estimate to 50 eggs, but we don't know whether she miscounted at first or the moth laid more eggs during the day. On a side note, the weather in Albany are hitting record highs this week in the 90's and 100's ° F; we don't know if this could have had any influence on the breeding process. ![]() Authors Brian Liang
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Timeline 2017–present
Ithaca, New York This timeline is a series of daily posts recording our observations and experiences with various insects (primarily Lepidoptera) around the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York, starting from the time we moved here in 2017. As this is a personal blog, we try to keep collections/rearings for university research and course work to a minimum, and mainly focus on just the species we catch and raise for our own fun and interest. Posts prior to this time can be viewed at Timeline 2012-2017: Albany, California, though there is occasionally some crossover when we have returned home during breaks or reared stock derived from home (see Albany, California Updates). Archives (232)
July 2020 (1) August 2019 (2) July 2019 (35) June 2019 (46) May 2019 (20) March 2019 (1) January 2019 (1) November 2018* October 2018* September 2018 (1)* August 2018 (9)* July 2018 (11)* June 2018 (22*) May 2018 (18)* April 2018 (2)* January 2018 (6) December 2017 (5) November 2017 (1) October 2017 (5) September 2017 (26) August 2017 (19) *Currently, a significant portion of 2018 posts are missing. The notes/photos for this time period are saved on our personal files but the posts were never built due to a busy schedule that year. We are still actively building these posts when we have the time. Authors
![]() ![]() Full Species List
(Alphabetical by scientific name) Note: - Not every species we encounter is necessarily presented on this site, rather a selection of those that were of particular interest to us and that we felt were worth documenting. - We can't guarantee that all species have been identified accurately, particularly taxa we are not as familiar with. Lepidoptera Actias luna Agraulis vanillae Allancastria cerisyi Amphion floridensis Ancyloxypha numintor Antheraea polyphemus Battus philenor hirsuta Callosamia promethea Colias eurytheme Citheronia regalis Cupido comyntas Danaus plexippus Darapsa myron Diadema inscriptum Epargyreus clarus Erynnis baptisiae Estigmene acrea Euchaetes egle Eumorpha pandorus Hemaris diffinis Hyalophora cecropia Limenitis archippus Liminitis arthemis arthemis Limenitis arthemis astyanax Manduca sexta Orgyia leucostigma Pachysphinx modesta Paonias myops Papilio cresphontes Papilio eurymedon Papilio glaucus Papilio polyxenes asterius Papilio rutulus Papilio troilus Papilio zelicaon Pyrgus communis Samia ricini Smerinthus ophthalmica Speyeria cybele Sphecodina abbottii Vanessa atalanta Vanessa cardui Vanessa virginiensis Lepidoptera Hybrids Papilio polyxenes asterius × Papilio zelicaon Orthoptera Conocephalus sp. Dissosteira carolina Melanoplus femurrubrum Neoconocephalus ensiger Neoxabea bipunctata Phasmatodea Carausius morosus Diapheromera femorata Mantodea Mantis religiosa Albany, California Updates |