In my research for Troides helena butterfly, sometimes I found a butterflies pupae with characteristic normal pupae. Unfortunately, when I reared them in my field cage, a few of them can't emerged as adult butterfly. Their pupae contain smelling black liquid and I can't identify where they from? Are they contaminated by pathogens or something else?
You can compare pupae collected from nature witch the pupae that have grown in the laboratory in good condition. Abnormalities can be detected by measuring main morphometrical characteristics of both kind of pupae.
Dear Masoud Latifian,
Based on my studies on laboratory, commonly I found small pupae than living in nature, although they fed on same food. Thanks your answer.
Your larva are infected with a baculovirus that primarily infect Lepidoptera . There are two main groups, the nucleopolyhedroviruses (NPV) and the granuloviruses (GV). These viruses can cause acute infections in mass reared arthropods. You must clean and dessinfect the rearing containers and plant material with a 10% solution of Sodium Hypoclorite to prevent virus outbreaks. Your small pupae of Troides is due to the lack of food during rearing. You must provide plenty of fresh food free of pathogen contamination to your larvae.
Regards,
Luis Miguel
Dear Luis Miguel Constantino
I apologize too late reply your answer. It's very useful for my activities. One question again, if my pupae infected by viruses, where they from (I mean their sources?) and how to spread among immature stages of butterfly? Thank you.
Dear Sri Nuraminah
The source of infection for several viruses during laying egg from the adult butterfly , or from some hyperparasites. The smell not as indicators of virus infection but its indicators of bacterial infection (with this black liquid). the way and symptoms of infection gives more information about the pathogen and if it comes from Adults or during early larval stages, since you use field cage its so easy to became infected.
Pls. find the attached files
http://butterflycircle.blogspot.com/2011/08/life-history-of-common-birdwing.html
http://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/publications/pest_risk_assmt_logs_chips_australia.pdf
http://eol.org/pages/130795/details
http://www.butterfly-insect.com/yellow-birdwings/troides-helena-life-cycle.html
Hoping this will be helpful
Regards
Prof. Houda Kawas
Dear Prof. Houda Kawas
Thank you very much your explain and useful files for me. I'm highly appreciate it.
regards,
Sri
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