www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Susie wrote:
Nice sighting, I would love to see a peacock (or any butterfly!) at the moment.

CC: What kind of netting did you use to enclose your brown hairstreaks and blackthorn?

Black cotton netting, the fine kind used in better quality butterfly nets. I used black to better see the BH ova ~ their white colour a contrast. The butterflies would probably do just as well with white curtain nylon netting ~ the kind my wife used to use in our windows for privacy.

The arrangement I use is quite simple but very effective. I bought those very durable large black builders type heavy duty plastic buckets and carefully remove the handles. Twenty five years ago at least now, I bought 20 @ £1 each. I'm still using some for other purposes now ~ they are that durable which you need. Removing the handles leaves a large flower pot. I drill six pairs of small holes around the top of the bucket rim at 60 degree intervals. Using fencing wire ( about 2mm diameter ~ similar to the wire hangers used by dry cleaners ~ I form large loops and insert the ends into the holes, bending sufficient over into the paired hole closeby which anchors the wire loops securely. Where the three loops meet at the top I tie with string to give extra rigidity ~ they will spend all four seasons outside remember. The whole would ideally be about 3-4 feet tall ~ sometimes larger. I use this arrangement for a range of foodplants ~ Devil bit Scabious for Marsh Frits, Blackthorn for the Hairstreaks, Honeysuckle trained to grow around the large loops for the White Admirals, and all the Violet feeding Fritillaries will pair and lay too in this arrangement. I put say three pairs of pupae in the Breeding cage and leave them to it. You must check the cages frequently for pests (earwigs, spiders, wasps,parasitic flies, birds attention and other pests) because they are always about.

Growing foodplant is essential and I establish the pots and growing plants maybe a year or so prior to breeding programmes. The first time I enclosed a couple of female White Admirals ( they need a balance of both sunshine and shade to thrive and lay ) they laid hundreds of ova some on the Honeysuckle leaves but, annoyingly, tucking many ova in the fine holes of the black netting close by. I had to cut up that netting to gather the ova and pin the little pieces of net to healthy Honeysuckle leaves. The little larvae soon form a silk extension at the tip of the Honeysuckle leaves on which they rest, moving elsewhere on the plant to feed. When still quite small, they prepare a leaf for their hibernaculum in a very interesting way. They eat away a curve in their chosen leaf near the stalk and use silk under tension to pull the prepared leaf parts together to form a short small diameter tube in which the little larva spends the winter. I have also bred two of the White Admiral's close European Relatives; Limenitis Populi ( Poplar admiral ~ on growing Aspen ) and Neptis rivularis ( Hungarian Glider ?? IIRC) ~ the latter species I have found in the wild only as ova and pre-hibernation larvae ~ never seen the actual butterfly in the wild, only in my cages. Their larvae feed on Wild growing Spirea and Astilbe ~ the butterfly's scientific name is a good one.... rivularis .... I have found rivularis ova on Astilbe growing in the middle of a shallow river! These two species also prepare hibernacula from foodplant leaves in a similar way to the British species. Fascinating to watch the process.

Back in the 1970s, JH here then lived a few miles away and visited me a few times. he saw the arrangement enclosing Marsh Fritillaries one one visit ~ a pair were in cop that day ~ they stayed locked together for over 24 hours ...... later I found several egg batches containing 100s on the D-BS ~ far more larvae than I could ever hope to breed through to healthy adults.

Hope the above helps ~ good luck.

many thanks, cc, your posts are always interesting and informative.

I made two butterfly cages earlier in the week but these will be modified and improved in time.

P.S. I used a fine black netting as I was given a bolt of it on Sunday, it used to be used for my granny's petticoats I think!

Thats great advice Cotswold Cockney. I am doing something similar. I got a large pot (near bucket sized) and got 4 bmamboo canes, long enough sized andgot them at same distance around inside edge of pot.

I got some wire (cut a few wire hangers) and bent it round the bamboo and stuck it firmly on and did this at middle of the bamboo and at the top, enough places so this would not fall apart. I then after this, got black cotton netting I had and covered it around the bamboo and stuck it firmly to bamboo.

Then if I wanted to use it, I could just put a layer of soil in the pot, put the foodplant in (growing) and put the bamboo net into the soil so nothing inside the pot can escape. Can't hang it this way, but still good for breeding caterpillars.

Arnold Johnson's cages are pretty good - I have half a dozen and they've lasted years outside!

See http://www.insectcage.net/

Even if you don't buy anything, it might provide some ideas.

Cheers,

- Pete

There are brown hairstreak eggs on my Victoria plum tree.

This is my first attempt at making butterfly cages. Plastic covered metal plant supports hold the netting. The netting will be elasticated at the bottom, I just haven't done that bit yet.

I was out BH egg-hunting again this weekend. They are truly beautiful structures from close up.

What is the function of the little hole at the top of each egg? Is that where the larva emerges, or is it more to do with how the egg is formed?



Guy

Nice cages Susie!

Guy - the indentation at the top of the egg, known as the micropyle, allows the developing larva to breathe - I believe. But I suspect you knew that

Cheers,

- Pete

Thanks, Pete. No, I didn't know this already! It's one of those many things I only think about when I see it and always forget to look up or ask about later.

I knew someone here would know.

Guy

Hi Guy/Pete,
Pete's right, but it is also the point through which the tiny larva appears from. Unlike many species the caterpillar does not eat the eggshell, so it's possible to find 'last year's' BH eggs on the blackthorn. These appear as flat, deflated discs (rather than inflated 'buns'), with a visibly larger micropyle where the cat popped out.
Neil

Thank you. I hope this one can both breathe and get out - it seems to be deformed around the micropyle:



I'll look for the eggs after emergence - and the larvae, perhaps - but it will be much harder to find them, with the leaves on the bushes and the new growth sprouting out. Perhaps I should discreetly mark a branch with some enamel paint.

Guy

Sussex Kipper wrote:Hi Guy/Pete,
Pete's right, but it is also the point through which the tiny larva appears from. Unlike many species the caterpillar does not eat the eggshell, so it's possible to find 'last year's' BH eggs on the blackthorn. These appear as flat, deflated discs (rather than inflated 'buns'), with a visibly larger micropyle where the cat popped out.
Neil

I suspect the area around the micropyle represents a "weak spot" - although I believe the larva still needs to cut away the eggshell (even if it doesn't eat it) in order to get out - the actual hole is just too small.

I've since discovered that the micropyle is where the sperm enters the egg.

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi Guy/Pete,
The tiny caterpillar does make (I think eat) a small hole through the micropyle area (hence it's visibly larger in an 'old' egg), but it doesn't devour the rest like the larvae of most species do, perhaps because their shells are relatively tough and unpalatable? BH eggs do seem to be fairly well armour-plated, and I've known eggs suffering a lot more damage than Guy's hatch successfully! It often looks like the ornament has been deeply eroded when viewed under a hand-lens, but they seem to be able to survive this, however it's caused. I tend to mark them (in the wild) with drab coloured wool ties and then search for the larvae when they have attained a reasonable size. They don't seem to move particularly far from what I've seen, and although cat feeding damage is obvious, they don't appear to get through a huge amount of leaf. Even when you know roughly where to look, the larvae are very well camouflaged and quite tricky to spot. I've found them just before they descend to pupate, when they abandon their beautiful green/yellow livery and turn a dark plum purple colour. Like all butterflies - fascinating beasties!
Neil

Thanks again, Pete and Kipper. I shall mark a very small number of eggs with dull-coloured wool and photograph where they are, in the hope of some larva pictures in the spring. As I live at a much higher altitude than my BH sites I don't think I can take any prisoners - the seasonal evolution up here is too different to be able to return them at the right time.

Guy

Sussex Kipper wrote:Hi Guy/Pete,
it's possible to find 'last year's' BH eggs on the blackthorn. These appear as flat, deflated discs (rather than inflated 'buns'), with a visibly larger micropyle where the cat popped out.
Neil

Ah, so that is what those are. I wondered what had happened to those ones.

Overwintering butterfly ova ... Interesting stuff...

Like the Silver Washed Fritillary which overwinters as a tiny newly hatched larva away from it's eggshell, not feeding until the spring, the High Brown also does this but, remains inside its egg shell until the spring. The ova of the Dark Green Frit are rather larger than the other two in my experience.

For best overwinter survival results, resist the temptation to keep them indoors. Natural conditions are best to ensure high survival rates provided you are ever watchful for pests, mould etc. These minute organisms easily become prematurely active at best, or, dry up and die in less than natural conditions.

Raising Silver Washed back in 1976, I was pleased to see numerous ova in my outside netted pots of violets ~ then, towards the end of September in that long hot summer, I noticed a Silver Washed pupa suspended from the wire at the top of the cage. One larva had fed on and produced a second brood male specimen ~ about 3/4 the normal size. That larva had fed up in my outside pot cages completely overlooked until I spotted that pupa. Back in the early 1950s, a schoolboy friend had a second brood White Admiral feed up .... despite severe lack of resources, we were very resourceful .... I still have my very first and only wild caught Duke of B specimen ~ Cotswolds dated May 1954 .... I was aged twelve then. I had superb eyesight then ~ still quite good now but, even with glasses I struggle to read my printing on the 1954 data lable. I could spot a Purple Emperor ova on a sallow at twenty feet one time ~ up until twenty years ago that was ~ not now.... need to get much closer... Nothing lasts forever so look after it all you wiser youngsters of today # life is too short not to ~ it really is.

Good luck for the coming breeding season ~ not so very far away now .... Roll on.

Cotswold Cockney wrote:
Natural conditions are best to ensure high survival rates provided you are ever watchful for pests, mould etc. These minute organisms easily become prematurely active at best, or, dry up and die in less than natural conditions.


.

Hi CC, where is the best position for them outside? Sun, shade, a combination of both? Does it need to be sheltered or with a breeze passing through the nets? I am really scared of them getting too humid or damp and being affected by mould. Last year we had a prolonged wet spell in late spring and all the orange tip larvae in my garden died in a matter of days. I would hate for that to happen again.

At the moment the cages are in a south facing corner but it is a very breezy spot with a cold wind blowing through.

Any advice gratefully received.

I would really appreciate it if some of you could bring assorted eggs to the Butterfly Photograhy Workshop please?
I would love to try to get some good images.
Thanks
Roger

Susie wrote:

Cotswold Cockney wrote:
Natural conditions are best to ensure high survival rates provided you are ever watchful for pests, mould etc. These minute organisms easily become prematurely active at best, or, dry up and die in less than natural conditions.


.

Hi CC, where is the best position for them outside? Sun, shade, a combination of both? Does it need to be sheltered or with a breeze passing through the nets? I am really scared of them getting too humid or damp and being affected by mould. Last year we had a prolonged wet spell in late spring and all the orange tip larvae in my garden died in a matter of days. I would hate for that to happen again.

At the moment the cages are in a south facing corner but it is a very breezy spot with a cold wind blowing through.

Any advice gratefully received.

Hi Susie - you need to bring them into a relatively-sheltered area. Even in the wild, I've found that Brown Hairstreak lay in pretty sheltered areas that are not exposed to the full force of the elements. A gentle breeze and some moisture is absolutely necessary - so long as it's not extreme.

Cheers,

- Pete

Rogerdodge wrote:I would really appreciate it if some of you could bring assorted eggs to the Butterfly Photograhy Workshop please?
I would love to try to get some good images.
Thanks
Roger

I haven't had to rescue any ova this year - although I do have some Green Hairstreak pupae that I can bring along. If anyone can get a shot that makes them look windswept and interesting - then I'd be pretty impressed

Cheers,

- Pete

Thanks for the advice, Pete.

By the end of April won't any eggs be hatched?