Cocoons are once again available and we have a batch on the way to us - limited numbers available, on sale due to successful breeding! These giant silk-moths are endemic to Madagascar, naturally occurring nowhere else in the world, and whilst related to Argema mimosae, mittrei is much larger. The cocoons are constructed with a tough silver-coloured silk with lots of small holes to modulate humidity and temperature, keeping the pupa inside healthy. These giant cocoons are the largest we have seen of any species. Sometimes natural pairings occur, whilst much of the time hand-pairing is required. Eggs are also very large for any moth and take about three weeks to hatch, producing large hatchlings. The best host plants are Eucalyptus and Sweetgum, but others are accepted. Caterpillars grow to a huge size, larger than atlas!
Food plants: Sweet Gum, Eucalyptus.
Difficulty: Very easy to hatch cocoons (1/10); caterpillars can be challenging (6/10)
Conditions: Room temperature or warmer; humidity essential.
Lifecycle: Continually brooded although cocoons may go dormant during poor weather.
