Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Woohoo!!! A Rothschildia lebeau forbesi - Forbes' Silkmoth, 1 by TexasPuddyPrint

TexasPuddyPrint wrote:
Rj...my chalice vines have taken over the yard. Do wish someone lived nearby who wanted them. I get tired of cutting them back. If you want more cuttings there are several long branches with aerial roots.

Yes...there have been reports from all over about Zebra Longwing sighting. Perhaps all the rain we've had lately prompted an emergence. They do like to hang about in the areas with overhanging moss and shade. I often see them flitting along the sunlight path at one of the parks that borders the river.

Have been babysitting the female forbes' silkmoth for the past few hours. I have her in a reptarium in the middle of my backyard and that is sitting on top of an inverted rubber maid tub on a bench. Am trying to get her as high up into the air as possible. Am hoping she will "call" in a male. Was told she'd start to do that on the second night...and tonight is night two. She was vibrating her wings earlier so the pheromones must be wafting through the air...but I haven't seen or heard anything flying around in the dark. The nearest forbes' silkmoth I have seen is about six miles away from me. Am hoping a male will hone in on her pheromone - if I see one I will open the cage door so he can get inside and mate with her. I do so want to raise these beauties from eggs.

Have been playing email tag with my mothman buddy. I keep asking for advice and he keeps sending information and suggestions. We're starting to sound like expectant parents!!! ROLF!!!

Bad thing is I'm the one out here who has to watch over her until around 2 a.m. and he's a couple hundred miles away and most likely fast asleep by now. Will have to do this for the next few nights...babysitting a female moth from around 7pm to 2am. Yawn...scratch scratch...it's not even 10pm and I'm getting tired.

Here's a photo of her a few minutes ago.

~ Cat


This message was edited Oct 11, 2007 10:02 PM