We are trying to maintain a colony of saturniid moths collected from the field. However, we are experiencing problems with mating. The males and females emerge at different times. These moths only last a few days after emergence so the male dies before the female emerges and vice versa. How do I ensure they emerge at almost the same time?
They also switch to diapause at the pupal stage and remain in that stage for months. Is it possible to break diapause. If possible How? Thanks.
Dear Elizabeth Siago Kusia
Since you have pupal stage in diapauses (see attached file or by high or low temperatures) it will be no problems with mating, your role in Synchronizing the time to break the diapauses in separate time at specific intervals to see which ones best then let the adults in cages
Pls. find the attached files
http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Lifecycle%207%20-%20chrysalis.htm
Edward F. Gibbons, Barbara Susan Durrant, Jack Demarest. 1995. Conservation of Endangered Species in Captivity: An Interdisciplinary Approach SUNY Press,Pp.810 ISBN. 0791419118, 9780791419113
https://riversidenativetrees.com/giant-silkmoth-information/
http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/leps-l/2000-August/001488.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actias_luna
http://jcs.biologists.org/content/s3-97/38/215.short
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0022191067900029
Hoping this will be helpful
Regards
Prof. Houda Kawas
Though its indeed good and laborious work, but, one should have an absolute information about its life cycle, period of breeding, no. of breeding per year etc., before initiating colonization process. Also, diapause is a facultative phenomenon in insects that occurs when induced by environmental conditions depends upon many factors, you should identify them before dealing them.
for better understanding, following links may help you
http://10e.devbio.com/article.php?id=211
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jez.1401590103/abstract
Best of Luck
Dear Elizabeth Siago Kusia
saturniid moths rearing, I give you same information about my knowledge, it have diapaus in pupal stage to break by the maintained Tem (27+_1) and humidity 75+-5% and adult diet 100 ml water mix (10 ml honey, 5 g proteinex powder, vit. E) effective to mating and egg fecundity. and the Tem. is most important factor for ratio of male and female so, you should maintained.
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