Your tiny larvae.When the larvae are all out (usually within 24 hours), take several leaves of the chosen foodplants, and very LIGHTLY sprinkle them with a very light mist of water, which is important to the tiny larvae, as many will take their first drink, and seem to grow right before your very eyes - as they expand with water - which will give them a healthy start towards feeding! Sometimes I'll place a very small piece of unscented paper towel, tissue, or toilet paper and add enough water to soak it well, and place it on a leaf, and when transferring the larvae, I place them on THIS (instead of spraying the leaves), and when the larvae are ready...... they'll crawl off this to feed. After the leaves have been prepared, I find it best to transfer the larvae with a very small paint brush, or maybe a toothpick. Here's where patience is needed, as each tiny caterpilar has to be worked off whatever they're sitting on very carefully, and transferred just as carefully to the moist piece of paper. Usually with little effort they can be "worked off", and onto the new surface. Also never cram the container with leaves, but place several leaves in there SIDE BY SIDE - the way they grow naturally! Air it out daily, and you should have no troubles in getting started! Also some larvae feed very nicely right from the beginning, while others don't! Some like to wander around a lot more, so here's what I do: I simply pinch a leaf or two under the lid of the container, and since their favorite crawling space seems to be around the edge where the lid meets the side, these strategically-placed leaves usually do the trick! Also make sure you're using the right foods! A species that feeds on oak for example will do poorly (or not at ALL!) if you toss in apple leaves! Also a note about food plants: Lets say you have a species that takes oak, willow, and birch according to the instructions, and you happen to have access to all three, try placing a leaf or two of EACH in with them and see which one(s) they prefer......... and stay with that type for the duration of that generation, as some species will DIE if they are changed from one food to another after feeding on one for several weeks. (I may include a list later of "favorite foods" for different species, both from the opinion of the caterpillars, as well as the ability of the plant to stay fresh after being cut, and placed in water, much like a rose in a vase!). |
Small larvae, and molting.
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