lepidoptera general

they generally don't live very long as adults or take well to captivity as adults. how do you feel about caterpillars?

>>2311740
I used to keep moths as a child. My cat would rip them to shreds so I'd take care of them until they died. Keep in mind this was before the internet was as grand as it is today, so I highly suggest looking up how to care for one.

I kept them in a small critter keeper with some fauna. They couldn't fly because cat. To feed them I'd make a water/sugar mix. I'd add sugar and taste test it - if I didn't gag from the amount of sugar, I needed to add more sugar. Then I dipped a paper towel or napkin in the solution and let them at it. I did this at least 2x a day. Life spans varied as I didn't get them from caterpillars and the extent of their damage also played a part. I had one moth that I did get as a caterpillar that I kept in a cage too small and permanently fucked his wings when he hatched. He lived about 5-6 months. He was a fucking giant

Whenever I noticed a moth not eating for a day or more, he was exiled outside in an attempt to let them fuck before they died.

>>2311740
http://classifieds.insectnet.com/

Click: Lepidoptera> Livestock :^)


Also you're really getting into caterpillar rearing. Saturniids (silkmoths, the pretty ones) do not have mouths and only emerge as adults to mate and die.

The other major rearing family, Sphingidae, may be more rewarding but you should only rear local species because they have a chance of escaping

File: Peacock_moth_silkmoth_(Automeris_amanda).jpg (16KB, 220x147px) Image search: [Google]

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>>2311740
I don't see much of a point in keeping an adult moth/butterfly around, they're pretty but there's not much you can do with them
When I was a kid I collected caterpillars and kept them in a box, also fed them mango leaves since I usually found them in my mango tree.
I'd wait until they completed their metamorphosis and then release them, I actually got to see one of them attract a mate right after releasing it

File: 6587354645_478d3222e7_o.jpg (1MB, 1775x1183px) Image search: [Google]

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I have no experience with moths but I'll keep posting pictures for you.

From my childhood I found a Luna moth resting on a pine tree in front of my house and caught it and kept it in a cage until it died.

Last summer I found an orange sulphur Chrysalis on my fence. I removed it and placed it into a jar, glued it vertically on a stick and days later it hatched. I held it as it began pumping it's wings and flew off into the world. It's a really calming experience.

File: Brahmin-Moth-2.jpg (97KB, 800x534px) Image search: [Google]

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>>2312025

File: 13534208_1738601899750648_825377612_n.jpg (101KB, 640x640px) Image search: [Google]

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>>2312026

File: Prometheus-Moth-020.jpg (4MB, 3894x2434px) Image search: [Google]

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>>2311740

I you said moths disregard these please >>2312025
>>2312028