First Hornworm Chrysalis opened

[Ninkylou]

So I had a chrysalis open at some time today, the moth looks healthy enough other than its deformed wings....

Hopefully the others will be okay. I have tried really hard to keep them moist.

Very cute though!!

 

[pigglett79]

How long ago did the moth hatch out? It can take an hour or more for them to fill out their wings. When they first come out the wings look really small, then they go find a comfortable spot and proceed to puff them or fill them out.

 

[Ninkylou]

Hopefully that is the case. I was at work, so don't know, but the wings look pretty deformed. I need some others to open cause it takes two to tango...

 

[pigglett79]

Yeah if it has deformed wings it likely wont be able to eat and then reproduce. They usually eat and fatten up for several days before they start to mate and then lay eggs. It could take a week for eggs to start showing up. I am starting to keep better spread sheets to see more exact timing, but generally they don't eat for the first day or two, then start eating and flying around making messes. Then a couple days later I see mating and usually eggs within a week of them hatching.

 

[Bush baby]

How long are the hornworms in the pupae stage?

 

[pigglett79]

How long are the hornworms in the pupae stage?

If kept on a long day cycle and warm they are pupae for 3 to 4 weeks. The moths I gave now took 3 1/2 weeks.

 

[happiness]

They can take 3 weeks to pupae!

I have about 5 in pupae right now and they've been like this for well over a month, maybe two. I haven't been keeping them warm or putting a light right on them, (experimenting)

I have a question, does it mean there is something wrong with them if they go into their pupae stage early? I fed the few remaining silkworm chow, mixed and made a solid (just like their hornworm chow) and they stopped eating not too long after without getting that huge size and pupaed (a few died) and they were only about 1 1/2 inches long compared to the huge hornworms that ate the hornworm chow. So I have like 2 small pupae's and 3 larger ones

 

[pigglett79]

If they aren't fully grown and pupate it could be an issue. They can also enter diapause and stay pupated for months if the day cycle is short or they are kept too cold.

 

[Bush baby]

Thanks guys.

I had some Hornworms just a few days back. They were gigantic and started turning pale…but i fed them off. Is that the sign, the color, when the're about to pupate?

 

[pigglett79]

Yeah they do start getting pale yellowish. There is a picture in my hornworm pupating blog.

 

[Ninkylou]

The two I have had emerge have both been deformed. I misted them daily, what is the trick to have them grow correctly. I did dig them up and they were not deeply buried. I kept the warm with a power sun bulb and about 16 hrs of light time.

I will say that they two that have emerged were on the small side. I have about 10 more that are bigger and when I mist them they wiggle. Its rather creepy LOL.