CoolMantid
Well-known member
So you guys know that I have been raising butterflies for twice as long as I have been raising mantids. So that is about 5 years of butterflies.
I started small with only gulf fritillaries. But I lost all of them to parasites. Then I went to Painted Ladies, Red Admirals, Monarchs, Mourning Cloaks, Gulf Frits again 2 years later and then the cycle repeated itself each year excluding cabbage whites (also Buckeyes) who I get on and off. So no real knowing if they will lay for me also excluding gulf frits who have many broods throught every season in the year.
The last time I had Anise swallowtails where in 2008. I had only 6. They all died from storebought parsely which I bought because my fennel was too small. BUT now my fennel is almost as tall as me.
So I went to Santa Barbara this weekend and brought insect catching supplies. While was mountain biking I turned the corner and saw a hillside of WILD FENNEL!. Cuz fennel is an invasive species in Santa Barbara. It is kinda early for a second brood of them but I still continued looking. I actually climbed into this "fennel forest" ( People gave me strange looks ) and I found 2 caterpillars. I am going back in 3 weeks to see if I can find more because they will be larger then.
They are eating fennel. They are 3rd instar
If I am lucky enough to have a male and female I can breed them and have more!!!!
If not I will have to find a wild male or female which could be very hard.
I started small with only gulf fritillaries. But I lost all of them to parasites. Then I went to Painted Ladies, Red Admirals, Monarchs, Mourning Cloaks, Gulf Frits again 2 years later and then the cycle repeated itself each year excluding cabbage whites (also Buckeyes) who I get on and off. So no real knowing if they will lay for me also excluding gulf frits who have many broods throught every season in the year.
The last time I had Anise swallowtails where in 2008. I had only 6. They all died from storebought parsely which I bought because my fennel was too small. BUT now my fennel is almost as tall as me.
So I went to Santa Barbara this weekend and brought insect catching supplies. While was mountain biking I turned the corner and saw a hillside of WILD FENNEL!. Cuz fennel is an invasive species in Santa Barbara. It is kinda early for a second brood of them but I still continued looking. I actually climbed into this "fennel forest" ( People gave me strange looks ) and I found 2 caterpillars. I am going back in 3 weeks to see if I can find more because they will be larger then.They are eating fennel. They are 3rd instar
If I am lucky enough to have a male and female I can breed them and have more!!!!
If not I will have to find a wild male or female which could be very hard.
