[Breeding] How to SET UP Moth Eggs & Caterpillars

Setting up moth eggs are pretty simple straight forward. You just have to remember one thing: Ventilation!

Unlike scarab beetle larvae, butterfly and moth caterpillars require live plant as food source, and if enclosure is lacking well ventilation, they may suffocate from leaves degrading. Of course if you set up on a live plant in pot, this shouldn't be a problem, but if you set them up in a plastic container, do as follows:

Any containers can be used for moth caterpillar rearing. I chose this plastic food dish from Walmart, and just drilled two large holes.

Since caterpillars love to crawl around, make sure to place a mesh screen (left in picture) or very aerious fabric (right in picture) and glue them down on lid.

Do not place any leaves until caterpillars hatch. As soon as leaves are cut and removed from trees, these will degrade and produce harmful gas for eggs or caterpillars. Caterpillars do not feed immediately upon the hatching, so it is okay to wait a day or a night until you can grab fresh leaves.

Imperial Moth caterpillars (left) and Polyphemus Moth caterpillars (right).

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Thank you.