Caterpillar Setups > Closed Container
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California Tortoiseshells in a Closed Container
Remove frass daily; replace host every other day.
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Desert Swallowtail in Closed Container
Larvae of Papilio coloro were collected in numbers in this closed container. This many could produce too much frass and create disease. This is simply a travel setup. Remove frass four times a day with this closed container and keep out of direct sunlight. Try and prevent condensation in the container. Switch to larger totes, open terrarium, or pop-up cage to push larvae through to adult.
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Papilio indra calicola fifth instar
For indra swallowtails or the Papilio indra complex, see this video on how to rear fifth instar larvae through to pupae while avoiding disease. Host plant cutting management is equally critical to avoid disease if you are not using potted host.
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Ford's Swallowtail Fifth Instar Caterpillar
For indra swallowtails or the Papilio indra complex, see this video on how to rear fifth instar larvae through to pupae while avoiding disease. Host plant cutting management is equally critical to avoid disease if you are not using potted host.
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Indra Swallowtail Caterpillars in Closed Containers
Stack of storage containers; each with 1 caterpillar of Papilio indra minori. There are small holes drilled in these containers not to give the caterpillars more oxygen; but to keep the frass as dry as possible in order to avoid disease. Indra swallowtail caterpillars are more susceptile to getting sick as compared to their machaon group counterparts such as the anise, western black or eastern black swallowtails.
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Minor's Swallowtail Fifth Instar Caterpillar
The appropriate methodology for rearing P. indra minori in totes or closed containers is to only provide a few sprigs of fresh host both morning and evening. By regulating the amount of host, excess humidity within the environment is avoided allowing frass to dry. It is also critical to remove frass morning and evening. Keep only 1 fifth instar in each container. Taking these precautions for indra swallowtails can seem burdensome, but it will produce healthy caterpillars. (Assuming, of course, you are properly managing host plant cuttings.)
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Speyeria (Greater Fritillaries) in Closed Container
Some experienced lepidopterists use multiple techniques for different stages involving the successful rearing of the large fritillaries (Speyeria spp.) The useage of the closed container is helpful to force unfed first instars out of diapause by continuously stirring them up on violets or pansies as you see in this setup. This procedure is spelled out in this video.
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Large Fritillaries in Closed Container II
As reviewed in this video, the method to force unfed first instar Speyeria larvae to start feeding is by exposing them to 24 hours of heated humidity (near 95 degrees F) in a closed container as provided by a nearby lamp with a 60 watt bulb. The larvae will move about the violets trying to rediapause. Eventually, after stirring up the larvae repeatedly for roughly 96 hours, they will start feeding. Once they do, this treatment no longer necessary as you would switch them to a twin cup setup. Again, see video for instructions.
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Semi-Closed Container with Sagebrush Checkerspots
This closed container has holes drilled out of the lid with netting attached to allow multiple sagebrush checkerspot (Chlosyne acastus neumoegeni) to feed on host plant Mojave Woodyaster (Xylorhiza tortifolia). The airflow provided in this container is helpful when you're using this container in the field to collect larvae.
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Monarchs in 32 Ounce Squat Tub
Monarchs reared in 32 ouncer squat tub with lid. Remove frass and refresh host plant daily.
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Monarchs in 32 Ounce Squat Tub II
Danaus plexippus caterpillars can be reared in a closed container; but, it is recommended you either rear them on potted milkweed with a pop-up or open terrarium/open bucket method or use these setups with cuttings; replacing cuttings either as needed or every 96 hours depending upon depletion.
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Squat Tub semi-closed container--Glaucopsyche lygdamus oro
This photo shows a Glaucopsyche lygdamus oro (silvery blue) larva feeding on Lupinus argenteus utilizing a semi-closed squat tub container. Replace frass and host both morning and evening. Many blues are like indra swallowtails and can get sick in a closed container if overexposed to their own frass.
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Hypaurotis crysalus citima in closed container
Because Colorado hairstreaks camouflage themselves so well on oak, rearing them in closed containers in the spring seems to work well if you separate out the larvae. Simply replace host and frass every 24-48 hours. Place in enough host plant to keep the leaves succulent.
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Squat Tub semi-closed container
This photo shows a stack of squat tub containers containing larvae of great purple hairstreaks (Atlites halesus corcorani) and Colorado hairstreaks (Hypaurotis crysalus citima).
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Squat Tub semi-closed container--Heliopetes ericetorum
This photo shows a larva of the great white skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum) feeding on globe mallows in a semi-closed squat tub.
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Squat Tub semi-closed container--Pontia beckeri
This photo shows a last instar Becker's White (Pontia beckeri) feeding on natural host Stanleya pinnata. Replace frass twice a day and replaced host daily.
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Rocky Mountain Parnassian Using Closed Containers
Rocky Mountain Parnassian (Parnassius smintheus sayii) caterpillars feed on Sedum lanceolata (stonecrop). You can rear these caterpillars using closed containers or 16 ounce squat tubs by providing facial tissue shavings for the larva to form a loose coccoon when it is finished feeding. Replace all contents daily; including frass, host, and facial tissue shavings.
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Rocky Mountain Parnassian Setting up prepupa
This is where the facial tissue shavings come in handy. The last instar caterpillar has finished feeding, crawled off the plant and is setting up to pupage below in the shavings.
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Gray Hairstreak Squat Tub I
The gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus franki) is feeding on one of its many host plants, red root buckwheat (Eriogonum racemosum). To keep the caterpillar from getting sick in a closed container, remove frass both morning and evening while replacing host once a day.
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Stacking Squat Tubs
One of the advantages of using squat tubs is that they tend to be inexpensive (ask your local supermarket deli for some) and they can be stacked.
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Ceraunus Blue in Solo Cup
Hemiargus ceraunus (ceraunus blue) and Leptotes marina (marine blue) feed on many legumes in nature. If you obtain eggs from a female, one effective way to rear these is to feed them on snow peas. Separate larvae to one per solo cup. Place a portion of a snow pea pod into solo cup with larva. Remove frass once a day when larva is small; switching to twice a day when larva is third or fourth instar. Replace peas either morning and evening or once a day.
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Ceraunus Blue in Solo Cup IV
Caterpillars produce a lot of frass at fourth instar and should be moved to a larger squat tub. This is the most dangerours time when larvae can get sick. Remove frass frequently at this stage.
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Leptotes marina Larva burrows in
Marine blue larvae like to burrow into snow peas or sugar snap peas and is a practial rearing method in the lab. I recommend using solo cups and changing out frass daily.
