Urgent help needed
Urgent help needed
Last Thursday, my brother (who works nights) found a Poplar Hawk Moth in the busy car park. He moved it several times into the bushes but it kept flying back to the tarmac. He put it in a box to take home and release. However, after letting it go he found two eggs in the box. On Sunday he went away on holiday and left me in charge of the eggs, assuring me if they hatched, that they would eat Willow. This morning one hatched, and it isn't eating the willow. What can I feed It? I know that the simple answer is Poplar, but I haven't got any, and don't know where to get some. Will it eat any of the following, Bramble, Plum, Sloe, or any wild garden plant?
Any help would be much appreciated as I don't want this tiny creature to die.
Thank you
Denise
Any help would be much appreciated as I don't want this tiny creature to die.
Thank you
Denise
Denise
Re: Urgent help needed
Gosh Denise, that is a tough one. Poplar is not at all plentiful here either. Sadly i doubt if there is a substitute. ![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
PS. Wiki says it will eat willow.
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
PS. Wiki says it will eat willow.
Cheers,,, Zonda.
Re: Urgent help needed
Maybe try these
Host plants:
It feeds mainly on poplar and aspen but sometimes on willow, alder, apple, birch, elm, oak and ash. The food plant often depends on location (Pittaway, 1993).
Host plants:
It feeds mainly on poplar and aspen but sometimes on willow, alder, apple, birch, elm, oak and ash. The food plant often depends on location (Pittaway, 1993).
Re: Urgent help needed
Panic over. I picked some really small fresh growth from my willow tree and it's munching well now.
Thanks for the help.
Denise
Thanks for the help.
Denise
Denise
- Charles Nicol
- Posts: 1614
- Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 12:57 pm
- Location: Cambridge
Re: Urgent help needed
i'm glad your new arrival is eating well. have you thought of a name yet ?
C
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
C
- Dave McCormick
- Posts: 2388
- Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:46 pm
- Location: Co Down, Northern Ireland
- Contact:
Re: Urgent help needed
Here is foodplants they can eat: Aspen, Poplar, sallows and willow also apple, elm, ash, birch and oak are used. Nice species to see. I have only ever seen it once before. Remembered it by how they rest with wings looking funny shape.
Cheers all,
My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
My Nature videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/DynamixWarePro
My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
My Nature videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/DynamixWarePro
Re: Urgent help needed
Spike is still feeding well on "fresh daily" Willow.
Here he is at 5 days old. Denise
Here he is at 5 days old. Denise
Re: Urgent help needed
Spike at 16 days old. He has trebled in size now.
Denise
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
- Charles Nicol
- Posts: 1614
- Joined: Mon May 14, 2007 12:57 pm
- Location: Cambridge
Re: Urgent help needed
Spike is one kick-ass larva !!
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
Re: Urgent help needed
You should see Spike now
He/she is about three inches long and very fat, eating 8/9 large leaves per day.
Not long now until it starts to pupate. I will try and get a photo before this happens, but Spike can't half move when the lid comes off the tub!
Denise
Edit:- Spike today, 25 days old.
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
He/she is about three inches long and very fat, eating 8/9 large leaves per day.
Not long now until it starts to pupate. I will try and get a photo before this happens, but Spike can't half move when the lid comes off the tub!
Denise
Edit:- Spike today, 25 days old.
Re: Urgent help needed
Drum roll.......
Yesterday Spike was still eating, but restless. This morning I got up and found him between the layers of the kitchen roll that I keep in his tub. I did the usual routine, clean box, fresh food and kitchen roll but he was just wandering so I half filled his new deeper tub with compost and put a small amount of food in (just in case I'd got it wrong) and put him in and, da dahhh
he immediately buried himself!
Well, I suppose that's it for a while. I did it!!
In three weeks time I will dig him up and put him in the fridge until spring.
Denise
Yesterday Spike was still eating, but restless. This morning I got up and found him between the layers of the kitchen roll that I keep in his tub. I did the usual routine, clean box, fresh food and kitchen roll but he was just wandering so I half filled his new deeper tub with compost and put a small amount of food in (just in case I'd got it wrong) and put him in and, da dahhh
he immediately buried himself!
Well, I suppose that's it for a while. I did it!!
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
In three weeks time I will dig him up and put him in the fridge until spring.
Denise
Re: Urgent help needed
Well done Denise. Will you still call it 'Spike' after it's reborn? ![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Cheers,,, Zonda.
Re: Urgent help needed
It depends if it's a girl or a boy. Whatever, I will be releasing it back to the wild.
Denise
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Denise
Re: Urgent help needed
We'll all be stood around the bed, wringing our hands on the day.It depends if it's a girl or a boy.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Cheers,,, Zonda.
Re: Urgent help needed
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
Evidently, you can tell by looking at the pupa. I'll keep you informed.
![Razz :P](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
Denise
- Dave McCormick
- Posts: 2388
- Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:46 pm
- Location: Co Down, Northern Ireland
- Contact:
Re: Urgent help needed
Thats good its got to pupation, big cat ain't it? I have always liked hawk moth cats for their size and looks, also some "feel" different than alot of other caterpillars I think.
Cheers all,
My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
My Nature videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/DynamixWarePro
My Website: My new website: http://daveslepidoptera.com/ - Last Update: 11/10/2011
My Nature videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/DynamixWarePro
Re: Urgent help needed
Hi Dave,
Yes he was a BIG dude. He ended up about the size of my index finger, biggest cat that i've ever seen.
It was a wicked experience, and one that I wouldn't mind doing again
I can't wait to dig him up, (just to check on him) and put him in the fridge for the winter.
Denise
Yes he was a BIG dude. He ended up about the size of my index finger, biggest cat that i've ever seen.
It was a wicked experience, and one that I wouldn't mind doing again
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
I can't wait to dig him up, (just to check on him) and put him in the fridge for the winter.
Denise
- Lee Hurrell
- Stock Contributor
- Posts: 2423
- Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 7:33 pm
- Location: Hampshire
Re: Urgent help needed
I once bred Death's Head Hawk Moths with my uncle, many years ago and those cats were roughly the size of his thumb. And seeing as he was a builder he had hands like a pound of sausages...
Cheers
Lee
Cheers
Lee
To butterfly meadows, chalk downlands and leafy glades; to summers eternal.
Re: Urgent help needed
I dug him up this morning, and yes,
I have a pupa.
One very happy Denise.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)