It was winter. We found a live caterpillar in a cabbage … You can grow a butterfly out of a caterpillar using the example of Autographa precationis (metal liquid).
It is necessary
- Caterpillar
- Glass container with lid
Instructions
Step 1
Place the caterpillar in a glass container, close the container so as not to impede free air circulation. Put in a container several pieces of leaves of the plant on which or next to which the caterpillar was found.
Leaves must be changed daily for fresh ones. The caterpillar eats a lot. Eats constantly.
The caterpillar will grow, get fat. The length of this period depends on the type of caterpillar. For a caterpillar of the species Autographa precationis, the growth period lasts about two weeks.
Step 2
One day the moment will come when the caterpillar stops eating. It will stretch out and be motionless. You can put a fresh leaf, put a rough stick in a container, add some sand. Caterpillars of different species form cocoons in different ways: they wrap themselves in a leaf, climb a branch, or bury themselves in the ground.
The caterpillar begins to braid the body with a cobweb. This process takes about two days for the caterpillar of the species Autographa precationis. So after two days, a shiny brown cocoon can be found at the bottom of the container containing the caterpillar.
Step 3
The length of the pupal phase is different for each caterpillar species. For Autographa precationis, the pupal phase lasts seven to eight days.
During this time, the future butterfly needs to be provided with a spacious glass insectarium. This can be a large aquarium, which will need to be covered with a frame with a stretched fine, fabric, mesh. This will ensure adequate air circulation and lighting. A container with a cocoon can be transferred to the prepared insectarium.
When the butterfly leaves the cocoon, it will take some time for its wings to dry out and straighten. You don't need to touch her, try to speed up the process.
Step 4
To feed the butterfly, you need to prepare sweet sugar or honey syrup. It should not be very thick so that the butterfly can easily drink it. Drop a little syrup next to the butterfly, she will find the food herself.
