Subject: Re: feeding painted ladies/chalcedon checkerspots

From: Soren Nylin <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 May 1995 09:07:55 +0200

>Can someone give me advice on the best way to feed painted lady
>and chalcedon checkerspot adults?  Obviously a hummingbird
>feeder isn't going to do it, since they have such short
>mouthparts.
>
>Please let me know ASAP as they seem to be going through
>normal flowers at a frightening rate...
>
>Tien Chiu
>[email-masked]
>
>

Try a sponge (preferably yellow or other bright colour) which has been
wetted in sugarwater (about 40% sugar). Place it high in a cage, near a
light source. It is also possible (if you are desperate) to "handfeed" at
least the painted ladies, by holding them in one hand by the wings and
extending the mouthpart using a syringe or something else which is thin and
long. Place the mouthparts directly onto the sponge or cotton wetted in
sugarwater. Once the butterfly starts feeding (it shows) you can release it.

Best regards/Soren Nylin

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Soren Nylin
Dept of Zoology
Stockholm University
S-106 91 Stockholm
SWEDEN

Tel +46-8-164033
FAX +46-8-167715
EMAIL [email-masked]

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From: Orley Taylor <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 May 1995 11:09:18 -0500

> sugarwater. Once the butterfly starts feeding (it shows) you can release it.

        Here is another suggestion concerning "nectar for butterflies. We
maintain a continuous culture of monarch butterflies.  The adults are
provided with feeders (a shallow plastic cup in which we've placed a
plastic pot scrubber--known as a "chore boy") which are positioned about
a 30cm from the top of the cage.  We prepare a special butterfly nectar
for these feeders.  The nectar never ferments. Every two or three days we
add more nectar to top-off the container. The containers are cleaned
every two weeks! This is a very low maintainance system. The chore boy
provides a landing and feeding perch for the butterflies. Most of the pot
scrubbers are bright colors but we generally avoid using green since the
combination of green and the sugars adhering to the plastic frequently
trigger oviposition.  We make up two liters of the nectar each time and
store it in a refrigerator until needed. As far as we can tell it can be
stored for many weeks without loosing its value as a butterfly food.
Although the formula given below may seem complicated, it is really very
easy to prepare and time saved in cleaning upp after fermented
honey/water or sugar/water make it worth it.  We use a 15% sugar solution
since most naturally occuring nectars used by butterflies are low in
dissolved solids. This concentration could easily be reduced and
frementation would still be unlikely since the ph of the mix is low --3.5.
                Ingredients:
                        300g sugar
                        8g ascorbic acid
                        4g sorbic acid
                        4g methylparaben
                        1g frozen bee pollen
                        2-4 drops of flavoring, mint, anise, etc.
                        2-4 drops of food dye, red, yellow
                        2000ml water

If you are maintaining a species that appears to utilize minerals, e.g.
species that visit wet sites --roadbeds,etc., the pollen should contain
sufficient minerals. However you might wish to try additions of marine
salts or the salt mixes that are commonly added to insect diets.
                        Good luck

                        Chip Taylor,
                        Director
                        Monarch Watch
                        Department. Entomology
                        University of Kansas

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From: "Jackie Miller (NC)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 May 1995 10:11:44 -0400

Dear Orley:

        Thanks for providing the information and the nectar recipe for
butterflies.  Where can we purchase frozen bee pollen?  Havesting it
might present a problem.

        Cheers! Jackie

Dr. Jacqueline Y. Miller
Allyn Museum of Entomology/FLMNH
3621 Bay Shore Road
Sarasota, FL 34234
Voice/FAX (941) 355-8475
email: [email-masked]

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From: Orley Taylor <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 May 1995 20:17:40 -0500

> email: [email-masked]

        Jackie: Frozen or refrigerated fresh (relatively speaking) bee
pollen can be found in most health food stores.  The other chemicals
mentioned in my posting on artificial nectar for butterflies can be
obtained from the usual suppliers of laboratory chemicals such as
Sigma.  These chemicals are not particularly expensive.  Hope this helps.

                Chip