insect lore help please!

[blondie]

i have ordered some caterpillars from insect lore which will be delivered on Friday ready to take to work on Monday - my only problem is I have never done this before - can anyone tell me what I have to do until Monday with them?

[Cait]

Ooh, I dunno. I expect it will tell you on the info that comes with them, surely? I would imagine they will be packed well and possibly you can just leave them as they are till Monday?

[Stargrower]

They do come with instructions - I can't remember exactly what you do, but I think they will be ok as Cait says. I'm pretty sure they come in a pot with food already in it (solid stuff in the bottom) Just unpack them and check the instructions.

[playgroup1]

My caterpillars arrived today! You just leave them in the pot and don't do anything. They will just eat the food that's at the bottom of the pot. It takes 7 - 14 days to become chrysallids. They are teeny tiny! But I'm quite excited - doesn't take much!

[Upsy Daisy]

You don't need to do anything except keep them out of direct sunlight.

[blondie]

thank you for the replies-will just keep them out of the sun and wait for monday - can't wait to see the children's faces when they see them :0)

[Upsy Daisy]

Keep a photographic record to show how quickly they grow. I was amazed by the first ones we had.

 

Also be prepared for the fact that they seem to eat the same food several times over.

 

When they emerge from the cocoons, make sure you give them long enough for their wings to dry before touching them and have a camera ready for the release. They tend to sit on the hands that lift them out for quite a long time which gives some wonderful photo opportunities.

[blondie]

thank you upsy daisy - great advice

[Froglet]

Keep a photographic record to show how quickly they grow. I was amazed by the first ones we had.Also be prepared for the fact that they seem to eat the same food several times over.When they emerge from the cocoons, make sure you give them long enough for their wings to dry before touching them and have a camera ready for the release. They tend to sit on the hands that lift them out for quite a long time which gives some wonderful photo opportunities.

I was stunned at how quickly they grew too - could almost see it happening. How did you manage to get them to sit on hands? Didn't try our first year as I thought we couldn't. Last year we just couldn't get them to do it.

[louby loo]

May I hijack this thread and ask a few questions please?

I would like to do this, how long does it take from delivery to freedom ?

Also - we are sessional in scout hut, and would have to put the net in a dark cupboard from 12.30pm - 8am next morning + all week-end.... that's not good is it? ...Seems cruel to me . OR would they be happy going on a car trip home every day?... again not sure if this is good for them?

Any experts with advice please?

Seeing as I seem to get a fair few butterflys that just randomly appear in my own house - I'm actually thinking they are not to fussy about light and dark - cause I haven't a clue where mine come from so it's got to be a cupboard indoors somewhere!!

xx

[MegaMum]

I'm not sure about the dark, but moving them would be a problem at the later stage as it is a fragile time and if they fell, they would die. I didn't think you were supposed to handle butterflies as you could damage their wings and then prevent them from flying? Am I wrong?

[Upsy Daisy]

We've always just put hands in and allowed the new butterflies to step onto them which they have done quite readily each time. Then the children have brought their hands out and just kept very still until the butterfly chose to fly away. They haven't been allowed to put they hands round the butterfly or pass them from person to person so no danger of damaging wings.

 

I should imagine that the caterpillars would be fine with the daily car trip but they do seem a little precarious when they are hanging in the cocoons so I wouldn't want to be moving them too much at that stage. You could contact Insect Lore to ask them about the need for light.I would be worried that being in the dark for too long could stop them developing.

[louby loo]

 

.I would be worried that being in the dark for too long could stop them developing.

That's my worry too. I love the idea- but I don't think our set up is suitable really.

[Inge]

I was in a packaway setting and did this many years...

we did put them in the cupboard over the weekend when in cocoon stage.. I had a staff member take them weekends when caterpillar... but in cupboard overnight.. they all survived and did well..

 

We got ours from Green Gardener. someone here recommended them..

[mundia]

I always used greengardener because they were native and the isectlore ones were from Belgium. That may have changed now as its been a few years since we bought any.

They will be fine in the dark for a few extra hours although id ensure plenty of ventilation. I always used to add nettles or similar in water for food and shelter even though you dont need to. When its very warm they hide under the leaves. I did ladybirds too and they are interesting too as the larvae eat a huge amount of greenfly and they are not red when they hatch so interesting to watch them change colour

[Inge]

Knew there was a reason but could not remember what it was...

 

( use them for lots of bits still.. have had the ladybirds, and nematodes for my garden for the slugs.. )

[zigzag]

We do these every year, they fascinate children, parents and staff. Like the sound of the ladybirds!