Euphydryas aurinia CATERPILLARS
This is a lovely little butterfly that has become very rare in the UK over the last century as land use and agricultural practices have changed, eliminating or degrading marshland habitat where its main host plant, Great Water Dock, grows. Breeding and rearing in captivity is very straightforward following standard rearing methods for native butterflies, and eggs produced later in the summer will hatch out and overwinter as small caterpillars. Honeysuckle is one of the best host plants as it grows almost everywhere!
Host plants - Scabious (various species), Honeysuckle leaves
Difficulty - Easy (1/10)
Temperature - Room temp.
Lifecycle - Can produce multiple broods in captivity; larvae hibernate in late summer and resume feeding the following spring.
This is a lovely little butterfly that has become very rare in the UK over the last century as land use and agricultural practices have changed, eliminating or degrading marshland habitat where its main host plant, Great Water Dock, grows. Breeding and rearing in captivity is very straightforward following standard rearing methods for native butterflies, and eggs produced later in the summer will hatch out and overwinter as small caterpillars. Honeysuckle is one of the best host plants as it grows almost everywhere!
Host plants - Scabious (various species), Honeysuckle leaves
Difficulty - Easy (1/10)
Temperature - Room temp.
Lifecycle - Can produce multiple broods in captivity; larvae hibernate in late summer and resume feeding the following spring.
This is a lovely little butterfly that has become very rare in the UK over the last century as land use and agricultural practices have changed, eliminating or degrading marshland habitat where its main host plant, Great Water Dock, grows. Breeding and rearing in captivity is very straightforward following standard rearing methods for native butterflies, and eggs produced later in the summer will hatch out and overwinter as small caterpillars. Honeysuckle is one of the best host plants as it grows almost everywhere!
Host plants - Scabious (various species), Honeysuckle leaves
Difficulty - Easy (1/10)
Temperature - Room temp.
Lifecycle - Can produce multiple broods in captivity; larvae hibernate in late summer and resume feeding the following spring.