Absolem, my Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar! (1 Viewer)

[mrsdennis]

Well I found him where one would expect - on some willow herb, about two weeks ago. He was a very munchy-crunchy caterpillar until this morning - he is ACTIVE. I have been scouring these forums for info and have to say a huge thank you to everyone who has submitted such detailed and valuable posts regarding their care. As I'm sure we all agree, they are very endearing little fellows aren't they? I want this process to go well so have changed his housing set up, based on what appears to be getting-ready-to-pupate behaviour (lots of curious stretching and wandering), very different to how he's been so far which is rather still or actively feeding but not wandering.

I've moved him to a Tupperware box about the size of a large shoe box, lined the bottom with kitchen roll, covered that will clean potting soil from a bag, and covered THAT with dried leaves and fresh fuchsia leaves which will dry naturally if I am correct in my understanding. I was starting to feel a bit guilty watching him endless testing the edges of his enclosure.

Never have I spent so much time looking at a little beastie! I really want all to go well. I was thinking, a good enclosure for next spring (if all goes well) might be one of those collapsible mesh laundry baskets, with the top zipped closed? I also saw one video where someone put a heat-styling hairbrush (cylindrical) in the enclosure for the emerging moth to climb up. Does that seem reasonable? Have already scoped out an overwintering location - our garden shed which is well sealed but not insulated, and weather-proof.

All advice gratefully received

 

[mrsdennis]

Here's how I've set up his enclosure - those with more experience than me (ie - any haha) - how does this look? He still has a few fresh, misted-with-spring-water food plants available but he's just endlessly marching about.

 

[honeym]

Hi
Like all Spingidae, it will wander about for ages - until it's ready to pupate. I'd allow at least 3cm of soil and once it's formed a cocoon/pupa place it out in your shed and do not spray with water. I would also remove the leaves at this point as they may go mouldy. Keep an eye on it suring the winter and then in early May (depending on the weather in Perth) bring it indoors and after a day or two at room temperature, give it a quick spray. This may encourage it to emerge. Provide it with a stout stick to climb up so that it can expand its wings properly. Then give it a good send-off.
Good luck
Martin

 

[mrsdennis]

Hi Martin

Thanks for the informative reply, I really appreciate it. I might add another 1cm of potting soil to bump up the volume to what you suggest - per what I've read, I didn't use earth as it might contain centipede eggs and other wee beasties, although I suppose they do manage somehow out of doors.

I suspect that if all goes according to plan, I'll be quite emotional at the send off:'D

I find something very endearing about this caterpillar, and I can't quite say why. They're such lovely, elegant little creatures.

 

[mrsdennis]

One more question - what is the care advice for them during the wandering stage regarding feeding, or any other relevancies? ^_^

Thank you!

 

[honeym]

When they are at the wandering stage they don't feed, just leave it to get on with what comes naturally.
Martin

 

[mrsdennis]

Thank you again

Today he was under a little pile of leaf litter, in a slightly excavated area busily pulling everything together with silk! It seems all has gone well so far. We are all really fascinated by this process are enjoying this so much. I think if the husbandry project is successful, we will scout out new larvae to rear next summer.

 

[mrsdennis]

Update!

My next door neighbours fave us another elephant hawk moth caterpillar this afternoon. A proud specimen, v fat and large. I set up another enclosure with fresh potting mix, dried leaves and twigs, and a few sprigs of misted willow herb. As I suspected, the caterpillar is doing some serious wandering so I'll just watch and wait.

Exciting times afoot - Absolem can be revealed on the 31st, when I can remove the dead leaves with tweezers to reveal the pupa.

 

[harry eales]

I would recommend against removal of the leaves which are bound together with silk threads. These can be important when the moth is emerging from the pupal case in that the threads can grip the pupal case whilst the moth is pulling itself free, that's what naturally happens in nature. Good luck.
Harry

 

[mrsdennis]

Hello Harry,

Thank you for your response! It was actually a series of your posts I read in another thread, when initially searching for information on the pupa's care. They were very interesting and extremely helpful.

As you can see from the attached photo, my caterpillar friend is now a pupa. I removed the dead leaves with tweezers (according to advice which I won't repeat) and moved him out to the shed. Now that he's out there, how do you suggest I best care for him? I've read conflicting advice regarding misting them with water, and on which timeline. As it stands, he's sitting atop a few inches of clean, dry potting soil, with his cocoon as a blanket tucked over top, with all the leaves removed. The box itself sits in our shed which is weatherproof but not insulated.

This has been a fascinating husbandry project. I hope to do it again next summer.

 

[mrsdennis]

Also - we have another pupa nearing the end of his three week stint indoors before also going to the shed. I will not interfere with his little arrangement at all. I did wonder at so many people attesting that the leaves should be removed. Surely they wouldn't use a material that was likely to cause them trouble. I realise that I've now made it rather difficult for Absolem to wriggle out of his pupa, now that he's been revealed. Is there a reasonable way to replicate the cosseting effect of the cocoon to assist the pupa when it emerges? I worry he'll have nothing to 'push' against now, to gain the power required to break out.

One video I watched had the pupae in one of those collapsible net laundry/toy baskets. It zipped closed at the top, providing a very good cylindrical cage. In it they put some study branches for the moths to climb. Also, the net material of the basket itself seemed very easy for them to grip. When dry and ready for release, they simply unzipped the top and waiting for the moths to depart of their own accord.

 

[honeym]

Hi
I was one who stated that the leaves should be removed but I only meant those that were not part of the cocoon structure. The reason for this was just to reduce the possibility of them turning mouldy. As mentioned by Harry, the cocoon is spun among leaf litter and debris on the surface of the soil so these leaves are best left alone.
In fact, it is known that the pupa is often mibile, often squirming out of the cocoon before emerging.
As for the misting, it can perform two functions. One is to mimic the natural rainfall and the other to stimulate the moth to emerge. When I've reared moths I will only spray once the normal fight period has been reached. That way, when they do emerge, there will be others with which to mate.
Best wishes
Martin

 

[mrsdennis]

Thank you so much for your continued advice! It's my own fault for misunderstanding your instructions. I've been rather anxious about the whole thing, because I feel a great deal of responsibility to get it right if I'm intent on taking it out of its natural environment for observational purposes.

Thank you for further explaining the misting. You've all been so knowledgable and helpful. They are really beautiful creatures; the children have fostered a good deal of interest and affection for all the bugs and insects milling about the garden. Very nice to see - I'm always dismayed at everyone's apparent disgust. Micro-world inhabitants couldn't be more beautiful and fascinating!

 

[jpscloud]

Hello Mrsdennis I successfully overwintered and released an elephant hawk moth this year. Mine was found wandering as a caterpillar on a busy main road footpath - presumably wandered out of a nearby garden.

I put it in a plastic ventilated bug tank with kitchen paper, dried moss and lots of leaves (no soil). I too felt that guilty twinge as it kept butting the sides of the bug tank, but eventually it did an enormous green mushy poo and then used the moss to make its cocoon.

I haven't got a shed, but I placed it outside next to the house wall, at the fence corner, covered with waterproofing. It didn't emerge until late July, but when it emerged it was a beautiful, huge, healthy specimen.

There was a disaster that I thought would have killed it - a powerful windy storm turned it over while I was at work, and it got soaked. I dried out the bug tank and put clean dry kitchen towel in, then the moss covered cocoon on top of that.

When it didn't emerge in May or June, I was a bit worried and thought it must have died. I gently opened the cocoon, and the pupa gave a great wiggle to show me all was well!

Good luck with yours, keep us informed!

Edited to add: It should be able to get out of the pupa case easily enough, but make sure there are twigs for it to climb up and dry its wings out.