Foodplants for Autolyca herculeana "Tegucigalpa"

Submitted by Chaosgaertner on
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Hi,

I have been really lucky on saturday and got my dirty little hands on a pair of Autolyca herculeana "Tegucigalpa".

 

I'm usually trying around with food plants to see what works, so naturaly i'm offering them Ligustrum (vulgare + ovalifolium) and a serving of Lonicera nitida.

Just like Peruphasma and Necroscia they are eating it just fine. I am not risking it just jet to only serve them Lonicera (my Peruphasma are only eating Lonicere through the winter because the Ligustrum around here is, lets say it frankly, sparce and does not hold up long after you get it indoor) mostly because its only one pair, but i guess it should be an okay substitution.

What else are they eating?

 

Best regards

Simon

Submitted by Bruno Kneubühler on Tue, 01/07/2020 - 17:16

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Hi Simon, I had them only on Ligustrum - for 2 generations now. With the first generation I have tried Lonicera, but they would not accept it. So maybe they become more tolerant - like Peruphasma. Indeed a very nice species - and easy to breed. Good luck :)

Hi Bruno,

Yea they seem not to be picky, like Peruphasma they also eat Syringa i discovered.

I really do like them and i hope they hatch well, but am i correct in the assumption that the defensive secretion is quite a bit more potent than lets say Peruphasma? We do keep a preety big Group Peruphasma schulteii "Pink Wings" (mostly because they are good fishing bait : P ) but when i shoo them from theyr foodplants and they spray my hands i'm fine. Maybe its annoying when the secretion gets near my face. But the Autolyca are at another level, my pair is pretty "triggerhappy" and when i change the branches i pretty much always get at least teary eyes + sometimes a itchy Nose. (thats fine and not a problem just something i noticed)

 

Best regards

Simon

Submitted by Bruno Kneubühler on Fri, 05/15/2020 - 12:12

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yes, the defensive spray of Autolyca herculeana "Tegucigalpa" is indeed quite pungent. So better be careful, that you do not get it in the eyes.

Other species with an intense defensive spray (like Agathemera) were being used by natives as a natural remedy

Submitted by gravedigger on Sat, 12/26/2020 - 16:23

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I feed my animals (subad.) with Aucuba japonica (in German: "Japanische Goldorange", Metzgerpalme). Also different Peruphasma species can be fed well with it.

The plants can be bought relatively cheap from tree farms. Cut branches of larger shrubs keep relatively long in a water container. Greetings, Gravedigger

Submitted by Chaosgaertner on Tue, 01/19/2021 - 15:21

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Yea Aucuba is good food, but its not winter hardy where we live ;)
And i do not want another pot to carry

They also feed okay on Juglans nigra, but they prefer Lonicera and Ligustrum.
They will interestingly enough feed on all Lonicera species i tried so far, even if the Peruphasma wont eat them.

Greetings

Submitted by Jonas on Sat, 07/23/2022 - 09:30

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Hey Guys,

last winter I made experiments with Ivy and it worked quite well. For sure they prefer ligustrum and lonicera but ivy is also accepted by larger nymphs and adults. 

 

Regards Jonas