Moth Species
Introduction
Moths are one of the insect species listed in the Lepidoptera order, alongside butterflies. They are more commonly kept now. To other people, moths have always been known to be the villain out of the butterfly. Most are nocturnal(there are some exceptions to this rule), some have beady eyes, they munch into your sock draw and flutter in your face. They are ugly and unattractive compared to the butterfly and have no niche in this world.
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That's what the majority of humankind think, but actually, moths have their uses, for example, did you know they pollinate plants as well? Moths aren't looking villainous now, are they?
Moths do have many uses, but on this page, we will discuss the different types of moths I have kept and recommend.
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There are so many species of moths in the world, approx 62,000 species of moths and around 1,850 Micro moths( moths that are a lot smaller).
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So many people have this idea in their head that all moths are just plain and boring, but there are so many varieties, colour variations that would destroy this idea.
Atlas Moth( Attacus atlas)
The Atlas Moth(Attacus atlas) is my favourite Lepidoptera(Butterly and Moths) of all time. I don't think I have to the reason for this. The Moth is stunning and so huge! It's wingspan is roughly 25cm in length and it is classed as one of the biggest moth in the world!
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Care Requirments
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These moths are so beautiful and are a fantastic beast to study and observe. However, I wouldn't recommend this species to a beginner. It has more care requirements than others, which we are about to go through now.
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1. Enclosure:
This does depend on what stage you get the moth at. I could only find them at the cocoon stage at the time, so I raised those.
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I do highly recommend raising them from cocoon rather than larvae or eggs as it can be a very tricky task.
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The eggs and larvae can be very sensitive to temperature and humidity.
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How to keep them at different life stages is listed below:
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1. Eggs/Larvae- Eggs and Larvae must be kept in a plastic container with no holes. Now, you must be thinking, they won't be able to breathe right? Well, actually the larvae do not need a lot of air to breathe. Also, the larvae are so tiny that they would be able to fit into any breathing holes inserted into your container. I however would recommend you lifting the lid every once in the while to give them some air.
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The eggs take up to 14 days to hatch. Larvae eat Privet, but can also consume Lilac. I would put these in without a foodplant for now,
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2. Cocoons
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3. Adults-
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