Smerinthus ophthalmica Eggs Hatch

Some of our Smerinthus ophthalmica eggs have hatched. This stock originated locally here in Albany, California.

---

As, expected a few of these hatched today. The eggs were extremely translucent this morning, and all the larval colors were there as well which made the eggs appear green and red. This afternoon, a total of four hatched, each several hours apart. All four were from the egg cluster of five that were left on the leaf for photographing rather than put in a petri dish. Something about being out in the open and free of a container makes the eggs develop faster, probably higher temperature. 

Anyway, larvae hatched pinkish in color before their cuticles dried and hardened and the horns were bright right. After a few hours, however, they all turned a bright pale green with a dark red horn. When each larvae was offered a willow (Salix cf. laevigata) leaf, it immediately crawled on and began wandering around. Within a minute of doing so, the larva would take a few nibbles on the side of the leaf, probably just to get hydrated after being in that stuffy egg for so long. The larvae would then begin wandering again until settling down on the center of the vein on the underside of a leaf. Though all four were on the same cutting of willow, each spread themselves out on a different leaf and would bite at each other when crossing paths. We stuck the willow cutting in a bottle of water and stuck in a plastic container to keep fresh. This is just a temporary set-up as we only have four so far, but once all 200+ hatch over the week, we'll have to think of something else to avoid overcrowding, as these guys seem pretty solitary. 

---

Authors
Alan Liang

---