REARING AT HOME

[Paul Harfield]

Hi
I am new to this forum and relatively new to the site. Just familiarising myself with current dos and donts. I was a keen butterflyer into my early teens and not done much since. I have read the rules and regs for UKB and BC but I am a little unsure about one particular aspect and need some input before I give my eldest son the wrong impression.

The rules imply that it is generally not acceptable to take from wild populations to rear through. But I see references in various posts to rearing through of small numbers and releasing in the original location. Some of these I would consider uncommon.

As it stands at present I actively encourage my kids, if they find larvae whilst out and about, to bring them home and we rear them through. These are normally moth larvae but occasionally we find butterfly species. Most are what I would consider common/widespread species and not endangered. I feel this promotes interest in the subject, is fun and does no damage to the wild population. Back in late September early October this year I was lucky enough to watch Speckled Wood egg laying clost to my house. This is probably the commonest species around where I live and exist in quite large numbers. I collected a small number of eggs! and have reared these through to Pupae. My intention was to release these back in the original location. Am I wrong in doing this? Am I missing something? Do I need my wrists slapped?

I am sure I will get varied opinions on this but all comments are appreciated.

[ChrisC]

good on you i say. i think what most object to is non native stock being released or species not originally known from particular locations being released into new sites. but local stock rerelease whence they came i personally can't see a problem with. and if it encourages the kids all the better.

Chris

[Reverdin]

You will find all sorts of attitudes, but all will have the wellbeing of the butterfly and the safety of the local genetic make up in mind.... one problem I have encountered, and I have done much as you do... is that rearing through some species produces adults earlier than they would normally fly.. when released they don't have much chance of futuring the gene pool!... beware this, especially if you find Hairstreak ovae and intend to rear them..

[Jack Harrison]

I don't do much rearing now — just a few Orange Tips each year. But in the past I have bred more than half the British species.

Indeed, they often do emerge too early. With Orange Tips, I avoid this but putting the pupae in the fridge in plastic boxes (no need for air holes — plenty enough oxygen in a sealed container) from about February until say early April; this ensures continued dormancy. I would imagine that the same or similar technique could be used for other species. I do in fact have vague recollections of keeping Meadow Brown larvae in the fridge.

Experiments are clearly needed to determine the best methods. But it is obvious that breeding conditions must be as close as possible to the natural environment: outdoors (not in a shed), ideally not in boxes which might be degree or two warmer inside even if kept in the shade.

Jack

[Gruditch]

Hi Jackz432r, I note that in your other thread you were asking for site info in Hampshire, and as you said you are familiarising yourself with the dos and don'ts. Its worth knowing that sites like Bentley Wood, and Martin Down, that were mentioned in reply to you request, hold SSSI status. As such, any removal of larva, or subsequent releasing of stock, would be strictly forbidden. Other sites that are not SSSI, may well have bylaws in place.

There is no harm, as long as you know what food plant to supply, in rearing a common species lava found down a local track. But I would hate for anyone to get the impression from us here on UK Butterflies, that it is acceptable to remove fauna from nature reserves.

Regards Gruditch

[Rogerdodge]

Rearing butterflies at home is a wonderful experience. Seeing the miraculous transformations from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult is extraordinary.
It is certainly an eye opening experience for youngsters, and may be the extra stimulus required to generate a life-long interest in butterflies, and hopefully, nature in general.
Collecting eggs or caterpillars of local species (as Gary so correctly says - not from Nature Reserves or SSSIs) such as Small Tortoishell, Red Admiral, the whites etc. will cause no harm to the local ecology, and, if they emerge at the right time, may even help to bump up the local populations for a while.
For rarer or more elusive species, there are businesses that will sell you livestock and all the related paraphernalia - http://www.wwb.co.uk/ for example.
In my opinion the results from this rearing should not be released back into the wild. The genetic history may be unknown, and it is possible that local populations may suffer in some way (a very small possibility - but let's not take chances?).
I would suggest starting simply, and locate some Pierid eggs on cabbage and rear these on. Small tortoishell or peacock on Nettles are also very rewarding and not too tricky.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Breeding-Britis ... 739&sr=8-1 is a very good book on the subject, I am sure there are others that you will be pointed towards
Good luck, and have fun..

[Vince Massimo]

Hi Jack, welcome to the site

You have had some very good advice from members. There is no better way to enjoy your butterflies and enthuse the youngsters than to rear the common species. I have found that no matter how much you think you know about a particular species, you usually observe something new when you rear at home.

I don't know how much experience you have, but I would advise sticking to the common/garden species and initially not to have too many larvae at once. Subjects usually find me, but on the occasions when I need to collect from the wild I check along public footpaths and roadside verges before the Council's "Grim Reaper" pays a visit. That way you are gaining specimens that would otherwise have perished. If you want to go a step further you can document your observations and share them with the butterfly community. A lot of observations go unreported and can sometimes challenge accepted thinking. For instance, when you raised your Speckled Woods, did you notice if the eggs were laid singly or in pairs? All the books say singly, but I have seen them in pairs on three occasions.

As you are relatively new to the site, here are a couple of examples of species reports which you may not have yet seen.
viewtopic.php?=37&t=5672
viewtopic.php?=37&t=5089
They do not have to be like this, but it is how I like to present them in order to inform and generate interest in butterfly early stages.

Enjoy your hobby and the site.

Vince

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Jackz432r, I note that in your other thread you were asking for site info in Hampshire, and as you said you are familiarising yourself with the dos and don'ts. Its worth knowing that sites like Bentley Wood, and Martin Down, that were mentioned in reply to you request, hold SSSI status. As such, any removal of larva, or subsequent releasing of stock, would be strictly forbidden. Other sites that are not SSSI, may well have bylaws in place.

There is no harm, as long as you know what food plant to supply, in rearing a common species lava found down a local track. But I would hate for anyone to get the impression from us here on UK Butterflies, that it is acceptable to remove fauna from nature reserves.

Regards Gruditch

The Speckled Wood eggs came from a local little used footpath. Of course, I realise you can not take from any old place especially SSSIs or similar locations but thanks for pointing it out. Obviously I have nno intention of plundering the countryside indiscriminately.

On another note I see it mentioned that commercially bought livestock should not be released into the environment for various reasons which I understand. Would this still be unacceptable for species which are migratory in nature. For example Clouded Yellow, Red Admiral, Painted Lady to name a few. I would have thought our communities of these species are continually being supplemented by individuals of unknown provenance?
Comments appreciated.

[Paul Harfield]

Hi Jack, welcome to the site

You have had some very good advice from members. There is no better way to enjoy your butterflies and enthuse the youngsters than to rear the common species. I have found that no matter how much you think you know about a particular species, you usually observe something new when you rear at home.

I don't know how much experience you have, but I would advise sticking to the common/garden species and initially not to have too many larvae at once. Subjects usually find me, but on the occasions when I need to collect from the wild I check along public footpaths and roadside verges before the Council's "Grim Reaper" pays a visit. That way you are gaining specimens that would otherwise have perished. If you want to go a step further you can document your observations and share them with the butterfly community. A lot of observations go unreported and can sometimes challenge accepted thinking. For instance, when you raised your Speckled Woods, did you notice if the eggs were laid singly or in pairs? All the books say singly, but I have seen them in pairs on three occasions.

Enjoy your hobby and the site.

Vince

Hi Vince

Thanks for your thoughts and advice. I have a fair amount of experience but most from 30 years ago both native and exotic species. Speckled Wood is the first species I have reared from egg since that time. Most of my recent experience is from larvae to adult and then release. The opportunity presented itself and I felt confident in my own abilities, with the knowledge I had, plus a smattering of common sense of course. I have in fact kept a diary of their progress which I will share another day, I have already been on here too long this evening.

The number of eggs I witnessed being laid is much as you have described. Mostly singly but several in pairs. I even found a grass blade with five on it but I could not say if they were all laid at once. I also witnessed females going through the motions of egg laying but not producing any end product so to speak, sometimes several times in succession. I will detail more on this in future posts.

[Vince Massimo]

Speckled Wood is the first species I have reared from egg since that time........ I have in fact kept a diary of their progress which I will share another day, I have already been on here too long this evening.

The number of eggs I witnessed being laid is much as you have described. Mostly singly but several in pairs. I even found a grass blade with five on it but I could not say if they were all laid at once. I also witnessed females going through the motions of egg laying but not producing any end product so to speak, sometimes several times in succession. I will detail more on this in future posts.

Hi Jack,

I'm pleased to hear that you kept notes
If you have any observations or information to report on this species, could you please put them here:
viewtopic.php?=37&t=4078 where they would be most useful.

Cheers,

Vince

[Dave McCormick]

Hi Jack,

Welcome I agree that rearing is a great way to learn, I once successfully reared over 150 large white butterflies to adult, now that was a sight when I released them, seeing that many take to the air (well 50 emerged first, then the last 100 came a few days later), I remember some caterpillars excaped and crawled to the corner of the room I had the rearing area in, and made chrysalises there but the ceilings were around 8ft and couldn't get them off, so left them and one day came home and found several white butterflies flying around the room. These came from the cabbages and Brussels sprouts I had in my garden one year.

Also have 60 pupae of common quaker I reared last year, just waiting for them to emerge. Trapped a female in an oak woodland one night and it laid eggs as did a female early moth, which out of 6 caterpillars that hatched, only one made it to an adult, which was a female.

Good to stick with easy local species to rear, as Vince said, and don't try anything too tricky until your ready. Garden Tiger are hard to overwinter and I had 10 young caterpillars die one year. If you give them too much attention over the winter, they die, found out that its best to have a large pot with their foodplant in, then put some small stones propped around the inside of the pot with the foodplant so that the cats can hibernate around them, then just occasionally water the plant and leave the cats alone.

One species I find easy, I just left them to their own devices, was currant pug. I successfully reared 3 generations so far on growing blackcurrant bushes in a large net cage. Just have to water the plants occasionally to ensure their is food for them, and then they survive. I notice that once the leaves are all ate away, most have pupated and so nearly always have enough food, as by the time they hatch as adults, new leaves begin to grow, the odd time I have to stick in more fresh leaves from a bush growing outdoors, to give the last cats some food if it runs out in the cage. I have them overwintering now. Have to find out just how many I have when they emerge as adults.

I don't know how much experience you have, but I would advise sticking to the common/garden species and initially not to have too many larvae at once. Subjects usually find me, but on the occasions when I need to collect from the wild I check along public footpaths and roadside verges before the Council's "Grim Reaper" pays a visit. That way you are gaining specimens that would otherwise have perished.

I do that with some species on the hawthorn hedgerow near my house since the local councils idea of "hedge trimming" is feckless as I have seen the tractor and hedge trimmer before. How the hedge survives (or anything else) I have no idea.