Some moths are single-brooded and some multi-brooded. Single-brooded means only one generation per year, whereas multi-brooded means several generations per year. Single-brooded species will usually overwinter as a cocoon, although some overwinter as eggs. Multi-brooded species usually have one generation that overwinters as a cocoon, with the rest of the generations hatching within 3-4 weeks.

Luna Moths (multi-brooded):

   Sweetgum is preferable, they love it! Pecan, hickory and walnut will also be eaten.

Cecropia Moths (single-brooded):

   Willow, Pecan, all species of Cherry, Plum, Pear, or Maple; all of these work.

Polyphemus Moths (multi-brooded):

   Oak, pretty much any type will be eaten. They will eat live oak, but grow SLOWLY on this foodplant.

   First, determine whether the eggs are fertile. You can do this a number of ways. One, wait until they hatch (or don't). Eggs will usually deflate after a few days if they are not fertile. If you have many eggs, after about 5-7 days you may consider popping an egg with a pin. If the contents are stringy, then it is fertile, if it is complete liquid, they are probably not fertile. (The stringy part would be the developing caterpillar and the liquid equivalent to an egg yolk). Also, if eggs are white when they are laid, you will be able to see something dark inside after about a week and if this happens, it's a pretty sure thing that they are fertile. After viability is determined, it's time to start, put the eggs in a simple see-through container. Make sure there is a hole or small holes in the lid! Remember, eggs are alive and need to breath!

   Put only between 20 and 50 eggs in each container. Plastic yogurt pots work well at this stage. Clean them well before using them. Check the container daily. As a general rule, Eggs will hatch within 7-12 days after being laid. If they have begun to hatch, stick one leaf of the host plant in the egg container. Be very careful when you close the lid back not to crush any of them. That should keep them satisfied at least for the rest of the day. Check them again the next day. Now you can probably take out the leaf and lay it somewhere briefly and clear out any egg shells and droppings that are in the bottom of the container. If you have eggs that were laid on different days all mixed together, then they will be hatching at later times so be careful not to throw out eggs that have not yet hatched. Keep putting in fresh leaves and allow the larva time to crawl on to the new leaf before removing the old ones. Repeat this process until the larva are shedding into second instar.

   The larva are now getting too big for the small egg container. It's time to put them in something bigger. You may want to have an intermediate stage at this point and put them in a cottage cheese container or one of equivalent size (this may be a good idea for larva that have trouble clinging to the branches/leaves that they are feeding on.) I usually do not however. Now it's time to prepare their next containment. (It's best to have this ready before you plan to use it!) First, get an empty film container and cut an "x" in the lid of it. Then fill the container with water and put the lid back on. Then either cut a branch or a few leaves of the host plant and stick the stems through the "x" on the film container so they can reach the water.

   Next, prepare an ice cream container. Cut out the middle of the lid so only the rim remains. Then get some screening with very small holes in it, so as to provide air flow but not allow the escape of the larva. Place the film container in the ice cream bucket and then place the leaves that have the larva on them on the leaves that are in the film container. The larva will crawl onto the new leaves in short order. Remove the old leaves after they have all left (if there are any larva shedding on the leaves, leave it there until they are done shedding!) then put the screen back on and then the lid. Put the container in a safe place.

   Put fresh food in often and remove droppings often as well! You may also use a 5-gallon bucket for this same process, or you may move them into it after they begin shedding into 3rd and 4th instars.

   As they grow into 4th and 5th instars they will require much care! Replacing leaves at least once a day and sometimes two to three times a day! Remove droppings every time also.

   As the larva begin to get older, they will start spinning cocoons. Give them leaves in order to do this. Most larva incorporate the leaves right into their cocoons. You may remove the cocoons 3 - 5 days after they finish making them (they should look dark brown). At this point, depending on where you live and the time of year, you have two choices;

1) Put the cocoons in a small container and put them in the fridge until spring.
2) Put the cocoons in an ice cream container with a lid and screen (and a napkin or kleenex closed in the lid running down to the bottom of the bucket) and wait a few weeks for them to hatch.

   How do you know which to do? Well, the moths know what they are doing -- as long as you have them in their natural conditions, they will either hatch if they have time or they won't. If you leave them outside in the ice cream container and they do not hatch, you can always put them in the fridge later.

   Take the cocoons out of their fridge container periodically (every few weeks) and spray them very lightly with a water mister. And then put them back in the fridge. Take the cocoons out in late April or mid May and put them outside in an ice cream container (again with the kleenex on the side) and wait for them to hatch.

   When they hatch, it's time to get some more eggs! Allow the moths about 2 - 5 hours after they hatch for their wings to dry completely. If you have a female, move it into either:

1) an ice cream bucket.
2) five-gallon bucket.
3) a special mating cage.

   Place the female in the cage and close it securely so she cannot get away. She will begin scenting for males at whatever the specific time for that moth is. You may set it up so the male and female can mate through the cage or you may set it up so you can catch the male and put it in with the female. (when you do this, catch the male, and carefully open the lid of the container the female is in and place the male in. She will probably stop scenting temporarily, but will start again soon.) Some people report that putting the female in the presence of any type of light when attempting to get it to scent will have bad results, however, I have never had a problem with this. That should be all! After they are done mating, you can either release the male or keep it. Place the female in a container or a paper bag and let her lay eggs. Collect when she is done, and start over!

   An alternative to raising caterpillars indoors on cut foodplant is to raise them on living plants, usually outside. This simulates more closely their natural environment. This is called sleeving. Usually first or second instar larvae are placed on a suitable tree branch and the entire branch or sometime small tree is contained within a mesh bag that is closed at both ends to prevent things getting in and out. It is best to shake any branch that you are planning to sleeve, in order to remove any unwanted residents such as ants or parasitic wasps. Generally, a healthy tree branch (6 feet long and heavily leaved) can sustain 6-10 larvae all the way through to the final stages of development. This is really dependent upon the species you are raising. Check sleeves every few days to make sure everything is going well. Of course, sleeved larvae are exposed to the elements such as wind, rain, sunlight. With luck, though, you will end up with a good number of cocoons and you won't be cutting off tree branches every day or so to feed your hungry charges!

   If you have the right trees in your yard or somewhere that you are able to use, this is often the easiest way to raise large numbers of caterpillars. Of course, the drawback is that you really don't get to see a lot of the action.

   Sleeves can be made out of muslin like material (remay cloth), often used by landscapers, or soft, lightweight windowscreen material works (not black…..as your caterpillars can cook in the sun if enclosed in a black bag!).

Other Tips to keep in mind:

- Never remove shedding larva from the leaf they are on!

- Larva CAN and WILL chew through screening but only if they have NO food... so make sure to have the food always stocked up!

- 5 gallon buckets fit 20 - 40 larva.

- Ice cream containers fit 5 - 20 larva.

- Wait 1 - 3 weeks after the larva have made their cocoons before putting them in the fridge, but wait NO longer! They may begin hatching if you do.