whats the right tempreture to have adult butterflies in my breeding tank? My tank is rather large and want to breed some:
Small Tortoiseshells
Small Copper
Peacock
These are in my area and need just to know how to keep adult until they breed. How should I feed them?
I sucessfully breeded 60 white ermine last year, saved the caterpillars from a demolished glasshouse that was going to be taken away.
Temp
- Dave McCormick
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Well Dave where to start
Butterflies obviously like it warm and airy. If its a glass tank or green house then forget it. It will get to hot and this will kill the butterflies. They really need a large cage made with netting sides. Butterflies love nectar so you can feed them with cut flowers. Plants growing in a pot are better. Cut flowers will require changing daily. Adult butterflies can also be fed with a weak solution of sugar/honey and water mix.
There is a lot more information on the web and books about breeding butterflies and moths which go into far more detail than i can do here.
Some species need more involved treatment than others depending on their life cycle. The species you mention though are easy enough for a beginner. Don't forget caterpillars eat a tremendous amount of food so you will need to make sure you have enough to sustain them.
Hope that helps
Lance
Butterflies obviously like it warm and airy. If its a glass tank or green house then forget it. It will get to hot and this will kill the butterflies. They really need a large cage made with netting sides. Butterflies love nectar so you can feed them with cut flowers. Plants growing in a pot are better. Cut flowers will require changing daily. Adult butterflies can also be fed with a weak solution of sugar/honey and water mix.
There is a lot more information on the web and books about breeding butterflies and moths which go into far more detail than i can do here.
Some species need more involved treatment than others depending on their life cycle. The species you mention though are easy enough for a beginner. Don't forget caterpillars eat a tremendous amount of food so you will need to make sure you have enough to sustain them.
Hope that helps
Lance
Regards Lance
- Pete Eeles
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Hi Dave,
My experience is that most species are best bred outdoors in as natural conditions as you can provide. So I agree with Lance that using a cage with netted sides is best. In addition, it's best to use growing foodplant. Some plants (such as nettle) wither very quickly. The temperature will sort itself out
Cheers,
- Pete
My experience is that most species are best bred outdoors in as natural conditions as you can provide. So I agree with Lance that using a cage with netted sides is best. In addition, it's best to use growing foodplant. Some plants (such as nettle) wither very quickly. The temperature will sort itself out
Cheers,
- Pete
- Dave McCormick
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