Butterflies and Moths breeding

Hi from Bristol UK. I breed rare butterflies and moths in captivity and grow foodplants for larvae and flowers for nectar for them,

 

Cool Welcome to Gardeners Corner

I'm in Dorset, but have Children in Bristol

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner Graham. An interesting occupation! One of our members has recently started a thread for butterflies in the 'Wildlife' forum.

 

Hi Graham
to Gardeners Corner. You sound a bit useful as we struggle sometimes to ID the insects we find.....
Have a wander round and enjoy,
Jenny namaste

 

Welcome to GC Graham that sounds really interesting,would love to see some photos...I've been scouring my garden for the last couple of weeks for Butterflies and moths but they seem to be in short supply here in East Yorkshire

 

to GC Graham - short supply here too - I'm obviously not growing the right flowers!

 

I'm banking on the Buddleia which is forming heads now....
Jenny

 

Here's hoping for mine too Jenny!

 

Welcome Graham.

You must be the only person to have joined up who wants to see his plants eaten by caterpillars!
Are you breeding just UK butterflies/moths, or are you looking worldwide?
Love to see photos.

I recently found a larvae that looked like a caterpillar, but it had "square ends" and just two legs at each end of the body. When I picked it up it went rigid and combined with its colouring it looked just like a bit of twig - any ideas?

 

Hi Graham

You will have a following on here straight away , please tell more and photos please

Spruce

 

Agree on the butterflies, got too many moths though!

Welcome on board Graham, interesting stuff you're into there. Would love to here more.

 

Hi Graham, welcome to GC

 

Howdy Graham and welcome. What a great hobby, have visited several butterfly houses here in the south east and just love them. Obviously hated the cabbage white!!!! Do you breed the butterflies to sell or just for the fun of it? What are the most nectar rich plants you need for what I assume to be a fairly warm temperature controlled house?

 

Lots of questions on which whole books have been written. Rear larvae in cool conditions with some shade at times of the year and some cold greenhouse aid. start them off from eggs in plastic boxes indoors and progress to sleeved netting pots. I have bred some of the most exotic silkmoths of the Old World and America which often feed on our own indigenous plants. Breed them for fun and release. There are many "stick" caterpillars among the 2000 or so Moths in this country. Buddlias are fine for part of the year but for all year round attraction plant bulbs in the spring for hibernation Lepidoptera with yellow predominating. Any alpine plants in spring. Scabious for mid summer in any form although I recommend wild Field Scabious from saved seeds or Emorsgate Seeds my favourite wild seed merchant.
Remember that in a steady population two Butterflies give rise to two Butterflies whereas in captivity with protection 100 butterflies can be released from two butterflies.
Remember larvae do all the hard work, Butterflies get all the publicity !
My favourite moth is the Death's Head Hawkmoth which I have bred many of.