Caring for Pupae & Cocoons

If you have just received your pupae, it is a good idea to lay them on a damp cloth or tissue paper for 10 minutes to rehydrate after travelling. You do not need to do this if you reared them yourself.

A perfect emergence enclosure can be created using a polystyrene box. This is easy and cheap: a decent sized polystyrene box relative to the number of pupae you are hatching should be easy to buy online. Tropical butterflies and moths enjoy warmth and humidity. That said, most pupae emerge best at room temperature or slightly warmer during the day, e.g. 20-24 degrees, with a drop of a few degrees at night.

Some people opt to use glass enclosures for pupae and cocoons, however we find boxes to be far easier to clean and can easily be moved or stored. A heat mat is often a welcome addition for tropical species, e.g. on the side or base of your emergence enslosure, but never use heat lamps/lights on eggs, caterpillars or cocoons/pupae - this will dehydrate and dessicate them, killing the pupae quickly. Heat should be moderate and accompanied by high humidity (80%+). Room temperature is fine for most silkmoths, hawkmoths, and native or temperate species. Avoid direct sunlight as this can also overheat the pupae - in nature, pupae are typically formed in shady, humid undergrowth.

Native/temperate butterflies are more robust and can typically be kept in a mesh cage without any intervention, although a very fine spray every day or two will benefit the developing butterfly (mimicking the natural hydration gained from rain or dew).