# Culturing Moths?



## Mime454 (Aug 17, 2012)

Has anyone been successful culturing moths? I'm not look for big one, just medium sized ones, like the ones that form to the light every night. I want to start a culture so that I can feed them to my idolos when it cools down.


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## Danny. (Aug 17, 2012)

I'd like to know as well.


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## happy1892 (Aug 17, 2012)

Gypsy Moth? If you can get them. I think they are the same ones as in South Korea. They bred fast but were big but smaller than those big Hawk Moths that are sold.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_moth

I read that they live in South Korea.


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## Paradoxica (Aug 17, 2012)

I don't culture them but I let waxworms pupate into moths for my Idolo. The YouTube vids make it look really easy to culture though, but it's not exactly quick.


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## Mime454 (Aug 17, 2012)

How long do they take to pupate? And can you buy the pupa, or just worms? Do Petco stores sell them, because they seem like a viable option!


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## Paradoxica (Aug 17, 2012)

I think they take around 3-4 weeks. Petco.com has the worms and they last forever in the fridge.


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## Mime454 (Aug 18, 2012)

I'll check them out. I want to culture some too.


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## Paradoxica (Aug 18, 2012)

I think mantisplace has them too.


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## Paradoxica (Aug 19, 2012)

I just read instructions on ukmantisforum

http://www.ukmantisforums.co.uk/waxworms/2008-home-made-waxworm-culture.html


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## fleurdejoo (Aug 23, 2012)

I am interested in this too. I don't think Mantisplace has them just looked.

But are these easier then Silkworms?


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## Paradoxica (Aug 23, 2012)

Well when you buy the worms they are already fattened up and don't need to feed them at all. They pupate and turn to moths that also don't need to eat (their job is to mate and die). They are not a very active moth though, they need to be poked a lot to get them to fly.


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## Malakyoma (Dec 14, 2012)

Paradoxica said:


> Well when you buy the worms they are already fattened up and don't need to feed them at all. They pupate and turn to moths that also don't need to eat (their job is to mate and die). They are not a very active moth though, they need to be poked a lot to get them to fly.


I read they're active at night. so would you leave the pupa in the enclosure to hatch and fly around? Or store it until it hatches then transfer the moth?


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## Glitch (Jan 19, 2013)

Culturing waxworms at the moment, take an age between generations though, looking at 4 months to establish properly, but the lil guys love the catapillars and the moths, so easy pickings for the mantis. Easy to make the culturing medium too.


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## Birdman (Jan 30, 2013)

Wax Worms are available thru Rebecca at Mantis Place and also The Nature's Ways at http://www.thenaturesway.com/


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## Malakyoma (Jan 30, 2013)

Birdman said:


> Wax Worms are available thru Rebecca at Mantis Place and also The Nature's Ways at http://www.thenaturesway.com/


The local reptile store and usually some pet stores almost always carry waxworms as well. You dont have to risk some dying in shipment that way.


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