God blessed me this year with a gravid female polyphemus moth. It's pretty awesome because that was the only adult I've seen this year, no doubt divine intervention! I'm currently raising 7 final instar polyphemus caterpillars! They are beautiful little guys!

@keysmoths5336

2 жыл бұрын

Awesome. Hopefully they all go through with ease! How cool

Informative.

@keysmoths5336

2 жыл бұрын

Sweet!!! Thanks

I found a Polyphemus caterpillar yesterday that was trying to make a cocoon on a car. I've put it in a safer habitat to overwinter (bucket with screen on top lol)... I was just planning on releasing it when the time comes, but if it's female maybe I'll try to mate it! Wish me luck! I'm enjoying your series on these guys :)

@TaraTheFox

7 ай бұрын

Do you know if I can safely remove the pupa from the cocoon when it's done forming? I want to be able to clear out some of the material I put it in with, but it spun the cocoon in a spot that will make it awkward to get back into the bucket. I was thinking of giving it like a week or two and then putting it in something smaller and cleaner so it doesn't rot.

@keysmoths5336

7 ай бұрын

That’s awesome. Good luck to you!!! Lmk how it goes

@keysmoths5336

7 ай бұрын

They always pupate in the most awkward spots. It’s like they know exactly how to ruin your plans! Once the cocoon is dry completely after a week or so, you should be able to very gently scrape it off the bottom, and then simply pin it in a location where you want it to rest permanently.

I literally just now found a female laying eggs right now and that's why I'm here 😭

@keysmoths5336

Жыл бұрын

Excellent!!!!

I have a Polyphemus moth named Ava who just laid all her eggs last night!

@keysmoths5336

Жыл бұрын

Fantastic!!!! Enjoy that experience!!!!! Ava did her job!!!

I have used brown paper grocery bags and had very good results.

@keysmoths5336

2 жыл бұрын

For sure. Paper bag works wonders

i found a male polyphemus moth and i want to breed it with a female but how do i find females?

@keysmoths5336

Жыл бұрын

Oh wow! There’s no way to attract females other than putting lights out. Also - wild female silk moths are almost always 99.9999% of the time already have been fertilized and will not mate again. The only way you could mate the male moth you have is by introducing it to a freshly emerged “virgin” female moth. It’s probably best to let him go…. Unless of course you want to keep him

I have found a poly caterpillar who is now a cocoon. I plan on overwintering it until later spring. I hope I hatch a female!! If so, how do I mate her? Can I keep her in a butterfly cage and hang it outside next to a light? Can they mate through the mesh? What kind of light attracts them? And why do I keep hearing the word “screen”? What is a screen? Thanks!!

@keysmoths5336

8 ай бұрын

Good stuff! If you get a female out, put her out in a mesh or screen cage. No lights are necessary. In fact it is better that there are no lights. If males come, then capture the male and place it into the cage and should only be a matter of time before they copulate.

I just found one of these in my back yard. It’s just and I’m in Ohio. What time of year do they lay their eggs? The one I found is a male. Thanks to your video I knew how to tell the difference lol

@keysmoths5336

11 ай бұрын

Nice!!!! They lay eggs in spring and summer!!! Enjoy !!!

How would you find/attract the female adults in the first place?

@keysmoths5336

10 ай бұрын

With UV lights

@ShotgunLlama

10 ай бұрын

@@keysmoths5336 Wow, quick reply. What time of year are giant silk moth adults active?

@keysmoths5336

10 ай бұрын

@@ShotgunLlama it kind of depends where you are. I’m in South Florida so we have them active most of the year. They should be active in most of their range right now

@ShotgunLlama

10 ай бұрын

@@keysmoths5336 Hmm I'll give it a try. See if I can find anything more than pantry moths and japanese beetles

Excuse me, I found an elm sphinx moth I think it’s female. She won’t leave my hand. She was on the ground. Idk what to do because I have cats.

@keysmoths5336

11 ай бұрын

ouch! Cats and lazy moths are not a good mix. Try to put it on a tree outside somewhere where cats cant get to them

I'm currently watching a type of moth lay eggs and I'm going to feed the babies to the fish I own

@keysmoths5336

Жыл бұрын

Oh wow!!! That’s one crazy circle of life !!!