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Butterfly Garden

I've found a pink spotted hawkmoth larva-now what?

12 years ago

I live in North Texas. I have been watching this giant caterpillar on my morning glories the past two weeks and worry the first freeze of the season will kill it tomorrow night. I have postively identified it as Agrius cingulata- the pink spotted hawk moth. It's now in my garage in a box. Should I put it back outside even though the temps will drop into the 20's the next few nights, or can I provide a place for it to pupate and release it in the spring?

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butterflymomok
12 years ago
Two choices--put it back outside and let it pupate. Or keep it in a container that you can fill with about 6 inches of shredded paper towel. You can put morning glory vine in to feed it until it gets ready to pupate. After it buries in the paper, keep it in a cool spot over winter. When it starts to warm up, you can remove the pupa to a clear container with sticks available and watch it eclose. Great classroom experience--I know--I'm a retired teacher that used lots of leps in the classroom. The kids will remember it forever.

Have fun!

Sandy
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