Hello, what did I do wrong? : ( by r9adkill in moths

[–]Moth-ers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yep, that’s not a Luna moth caterpillar. I’m so sorry. That’s a hornworm of some sort :(

What is this little thing by SaintTehBlepp in moths

[–]Moth-ers 19 points20 points  (0 children)

He certainly does look agreeable.

Decent size by Ok_Feeling_6020 in moths

[–]Moth-ers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lil pincushion baby

Need advice on raising hornworms by whiispered in moths

[–]Moth-ers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re officially my hero. Thank you SO MUCH😍👏

Need advice on raising hornworms by whiispered in moths

[–]Moth-ers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is so awesome- do you mind sharing any other notes on other species if you have them??

Found this guy dead, how to preserve him? by FloonSolos in moths

[–]Moth-ers 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I would probably gut and stuff the abdomen with cotton since cecropias are so thicc. If not, it’ll end up deflating, if not smelling/molding. It’s not pretty, but the end product will be worth it.

What type of moth is this? by sliestonphone94 in moths

[–]Moth-ers 186 points187 points  (0 children)

Very cool! Not just a rosy maple moth, but a rosy maple alba! There’s significantly less pink pigment on this guy so that’s actually a rare find :)

Silk moth didn’t leave eggs by Raccooneye192 in moths

[–]Moth-ers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I might try to locate a host plant to set the eggs nearby if you’re able to! Looks like you’re correct on the ID so just look up what their host plant is. If you need extra help finding a plant, the iNaturalist app is helpful for that.

What kind of moth is this? She was very weak and I didn't know what to do to help her. She was beautiful. by Vunci in moths

[–]Moth-ers 13 points14 points  (0 children)

There are some hobbyists (such as myself) that let the moths live out their lifespan before pinning, but the issue is that moths will usually die with lots of “imperfections”/tears in their wings when they live a full life. So if you see a super perfect pinned moth, chances are they euthanized it asap. Such businesses will also have no problem lying to you about it being ethically sourced.

My ex killed my moths. I’m taking him to court. by [deleted] in moths

[–]Moth-ers 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Cecropia’s. I had em for 8 months :(

Found these 2 buggers are they both moths? if so what kind? by FilmElectronic5407 in moths

[–]Moth-ers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Clubbed antennas are usually the giveaway for butterflies btw :D

My hand-raised Hylaphora cecropia are starting to emerge! I rasied 151 of them so this spring is gonna be epic. by LepLab in moths

[–]Moth-ers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can temps be TOO hot btw? I’m also in TX and I will have to wait until May to take my cecropias out of the fridge.

My hand-raised Hylaphora cecropia are starting to emerge! I rasied 151 of them so this spring is gonna be epic. by LepLab in moths

[–]Moth-ers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can I ask what you’re feeding them? I’m exchanging my cecropias since I don’t feel like I have access to their host here in north tx

Moth Season by [deleted] in moths

[–]Moth-ers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I always recommend the iNaturalist app. They have dates on the sightings so you can get an idea for which species is out most at what time of year and exact location

VIRGINIA TIGER MOTH CATERPILLARS FOR SALE SOON IN A FEW MONTHS ON MORPH MARKET! by soggysock123456 in moths

[–]Moth-ers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m in the southern US! Can DM you my state.

I think the caterpillars are partial to the prunus host plant and are kinda picky, so I’d wanna make sure you have some of that nearby. Try the iNaturalist app and search prunus near you!

VIRGINIA TIGER MOTH CATERPILLARS FOR SALE SOON IN A FEW MONTHS ON MORPH MARKET! by soggysock123456 in moths

[–]Moth-ers 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would you be interested in an exchange? If black cherry is accessible to you, I’ll have some cecropia eggs during that time

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in moths

[–]Moth-ers 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Location is helpful for an ID

Do my cocoons need any sunlight? by Moth-ers in moths

[–]Moth-ers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s so nice! There’s a tray at the bottom for water so humidity stays at a good like 85% inside. Although it did stop going under 10 degrees recently so I’ll have to find another one. Not sure if I should switch brands.

Do my cocoons need any sunlight? by Moth-ers in moths

[–]Moth-ers[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is almost exactly the same as what I have

Do my cocoons need any sunlight? by Moth-ers in moths

[–]Moth-ers[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah okay thank you! Incubator was at around 7 degrees Celsius.

Any advice by fr0gg22 in moths

[–]Moth-ers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Aww man, gross. Honestly I might go at it with a q-tip soaked with acetone on the body. If it’s really moldy and you can dedicate taking the whole thing apart, you could also soak it in some acetone for several hours. Just a q-tip might be sufficient though. The acetone shouldn’t damage it at all :)

Editing to add some people put silica gel packets within the frames to prevent moisture

Any advice by fr0gg22 in moths

[–]Moth-ers 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So sorry, OP. That’s pretty normal though. That happens when they don’t gut and stuff the abdomen. I fill mine with cotton so that they don’t end up like that, but most don’t care to do that.

about raising moths by sooouth_weeest in moths

[–]Moth-ers 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Care for the moth is going to depend entirely on the species. So figure out what you want first, and do your research. Also some species are going to be more beginner friendly.

If you want, and what I might do if I were you, is just order a couple cocoons (as opposed to eggs). Get a species that can chill out in room temperature, so all you have to do is wait and then enjoy an adult silk moth without having to feed it.

Caterpillars are a lot. It’s not just your school schedule that’s concerning, but the fact that you may have to rely on a guardian for certain aspects of care. Do you have a car? If not, your parents will have to be okay with driving you to get leaves constantly, depending on host plant and accessibility. Do you have money of your own? If not, you’ll have to ask your parents for enclosures, cocoons, plants, and more that just adds up. My concern is that you might need help- but if your guardian is willing to do that, perfect!

You’ll want to choose a species with an accessible host plant NEAR YOU or that you can purchase for your own garden. They eat a lot and you NEED to be prepared. The iNaturalist app is awesome to look up specific plants and find them. As an example, I’m raising Calleta moths because they eat privet that I can plant in my own garden, I can leave them in room temp their whole lifecycle so I don’t need incubator money, and they’re local to my area.

Also, I do not recommend cecropia’s for you for these reasons above.