Friday, May 10, 2013

In the Lab... Spring 2013

With spring in full swing, the BioWorks lab is very busy once again! Over the winter, we usually raise just a few butterfly species, but now that warm weather has returned, our variety is up and the viewing window is full of caterpillar tanks! Here's what we're currently raising and their Florida host plants, and a few notes about what we're expecting in the season ahead.

Currently Raising:

  • Monarch - Milkweed
  • Great Southern White - Collards, Peppergrass
  • Checkered White - Peppergrass
  • White Peacock - Plantain, Frogfruit
  • Common Buckeye - Plantain
  • Zebra Longwing - Maypop
  • Orange-Barred Sulphur - Cassia
  • Cloudless Sulphur - Cassia
  • Polydamas Swallowtail - Pipevine
There are several more species we expect to be raising in the months ahead as the opportunity arises. These include:
  • Giant Swallowtail - Wild Lime
  • Pipevine Swallowtail - Pipevine
  • Spicebush Swallowtail - Red Bay
  • Eastern Black Swallowtail - Parsley, Fennel, Dill
Notes from the Lab:
  • We'll try raising just about anything that comes our way. Right now, we have an undetermined Sphinx Moth larva to raise, and we'll be keeping our eye out for other moth eggs or larvae this summer, including Polyphemus and Io moths.
  • After years using clunky glass aquarium tanks for rearing, we'll soon be switching to lightweight net enclosures, known as Caterpillar Castles. These offer better air circulation while providing a more protected environment from parasitic wasps, ants, and other pests that occasionally make their way into our lab.
  • We were recently able to order some Malachite butterflies from a breeder in South Florida, a rare boon for us. We'll be placing Green Shrimp Plant in the Flight Encounter with the butterflies, hoping for eggs and caterpillars so we can begin rearing our own.
Want to Rear Caterpillars at Home?
Rearing caterpillars in large numbers in a lab setting is a lot of work. If you want to try rearing some at home to observe the life cycle, consider ordering a kit like those offered by Insect Lore. If you want to branch out, click here to learn more about Rearing Caterpillars at Home.

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