AND SUPPLIES: Rearing Sleeves
Bill Oehlke
Box 476, 155 Peardon Road
Montague, Prince Edward Island,
Canada C0A 1R0
Phone: 902-838-3455; I am in time zone east of New York. Please consider time differences if phoning; 9:00 pm in New York is 10:00 pm on Prince Edward Island. I check my email several times each day and prefer to correspond that way.
Please always inquire first, via email, as to availability of stock.
Egg prices for 2008 are now near bottom of this page.
See Eggs for sale for a more extensive list of anticipated species (27 North American species/subspecies, 2008).
Always confirm availability of stock, preferably by email, before sending payment. Dead specimens usually are not sold, but you can make requests now for upcoming season. Wild males only would be saved for you.
Order early before supplies are depleted.
Personal checks are preferred method of payment. No credit cards. No Paypal. Prices are quoted in U.S. dollars. Shipping is worldwide.
There is a discount of approximately 10% on most
items (cocoons, rearing sleeves and pupae) for all members
of the WORLD'S LARGEST SATURNIIDAE SITE club. Details at
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/indexos.htm
I cannot
discount on the high shipping/handling costs
($8.00/shipment to/in U.S.; $12.00-$15.00 in Canada and overseas).
All cocoon/chrysalid/pupae orders must include postage and handling fee, as indicated above, for the entire order. Enquire as to availablity, but the following are anticipated for fall of 2007. I ship on first-paid-first-served basis, after payment has been received.
All prices are in U.S. dollars.
Reduced prices for WLSS members are quoted on membership site.
 |
Citheronia regalis, the Hickory
Horned Devil, is a real beauty with larvae approaching six inches.
|  |
 | Actias luna is one of the most trouble free silkmoths to rear.Strongly recommended for beginners. Does well indoors or out. $4.25/cocoon. |  |
 | Callosamia promethea cocoons hang from trees throughout the winter and are easy to find.Females are brown and call in wild males from 3:00-6:30 pm. $4.25/cocoon |  |
 | Callosamia angulifera: The Tulip Tree Moth flies from southern Massachusetts to Florida. Caterpillars feed exclusively on Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip tree). $6.00/cocoon |  |
 | Cocoons of Antheraea polyphemus are usually available in the fall and winter.Easy to rear. $4.75/cocoon | 
|
 | Samia cynthia was introduced into U.S. in late 1800's to establish a silk industry. Populations are in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey. $4.50/cocoon |  |
 | Ouch! Automeris io larvae feed in groups and can give a nasty sting.Females have reddish-brown forewings; males have yellow forewings. $4.25/cocoon |  |
 |
Hyalophora columbia
closely resemble cecropia. Larvae have three sets of tubercles
and accept willow and cherry species as well as the
preferred juniper/tamarack/larch.
$6.25/cocoon |  |
 | Hyalophora cecropia is one of north America's largest and most beautiful silkmoths.
Larvae get humongous!
$6.25/cocoon |  |
 | Black Swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes asterius, larvae are often found in the garden on carrots, parsley, celery and related plants.$4.75/chrysalid |  |
 | Spicebush Swallowtail females have powdery blue scales on lower wings; males are adorned with green scales.Larvae hide by day in a leaf furl. $4.25/chrysalid. |  |
 | Tiger Swallowtails like to drink at mud puddles and along river banks as well as nectar at flowers.$4.25/chrysalid. |  |
 | Zebra Swallowtails are real beauties with strongly contrasting pale yellow (almost white) forewings with black stripes.Larvae feed on pawpaw. $4.75/chrysalid. |  |
Online help is available, but
first please read the following article:
Egg Care
Prices for eggs quoted below include the expensive EXPRESS shipping and handling fee (went up to $10.00 U.S. (including fuel surcharge) as of January, 2007) or "subcontractor's" fee. Most eggs will be shipped day after deposition. Occasionally a U.S. supplier will ship for me direct from United States. The high postage is to ensure eggs reach you before hatching.
Species: | price: 12 eggs | price: 24 eggs | price: 36 eggs |
I maintain some eggs from each batch for control. Only rarely does it happen that eggs do not hatch due to infertility (male was probably spent). In such cases, a second shipment (not Express) will be attempted if early enough in season or a credit will be applied toward a fall cocoon purchase. Egg credit does not include the lost $11.00 EXPRESS shipping fee or subcontractors' shipping fee.
|
| Actias luna is one of the most trouble free silkmoths to rear.Strongly recommended for beginners. Does well indoors or out. | |
|
| Caterpillars of Antheraea polyphemus get quite chunky and consume much foliage.Oak is preferred. Easy to rear. |
|
|
| Ouch! Automeris io larvae feed in groups and can give a nasty sting.Larvae do extremely well on most fruit trees and actually eat just about everything. | |
|
| Callosamia promethea larvae do extremely well on cherry, spicebush and sassafras. Their stoutness and "horns" suggest rhinos. | |
|
| Hyalophora cecropia is one of north America's largest and most beautiful silkmoths.Larvae get humongous! Fruit tree foliage, especially cherries, is preferred. | |
|
| Hyalophora columbia closely resemble cecropia. Larvae have three sets of red tubercles and accept willow and cherry species as well as the preferred juniper/tamarack/larch. | |
|
| Samia cynthia was introduced into U.S. in late 1800's to establish a silk industry. Populations are in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey. Larvae prefer ailanthus, but accept a variety of other hosts. | |
Please read Egg Care before ordering.
Above, you are looking through two layers of remay as I have folded the material in preparation for sewing.
I now (summer of 2005) use a slightly stronger, smoother replacement material. I do almost all my rearing of caterpillars outside in rearing sleeves pulled, like a sock, over tops of small trees or over lateral branches.
Newly emerged caterpillars are inserted onto the live foliage from the open end of the sleeve and then the sleeve is tied shut around the stem.
The material I use for sleeves, is a light weight, fabric that allows for good sunlight penetration and air circulation. I buy it in 2550 foot long rolls from a garden supply center. It is designed as an outdoor spring garden/farm row cover, so the material is tough and is usually good for two or three seasons.
Sleeves are available in three sizes:
four feet long with 67 inch circumference: $4.40 U.S./sleeve;
six feet long with 67 inch circumferenc: $6.00 U.S./sleeve;
67 inch long with 7.5 feet circumference: $7.50 U.S./sleeve;
Ten percent discount applies for members of WLSS. Shipping charge is dependent upon destination and number of sleeves ordered (weight). Small orders of three sleeves can usually be shipped for about $7.00 - $8.00. Larger orders of twenty or more sleeves usually cost $15.00-$23.00 to ship. Ask for quote before sending payment. Sleeves are shipped as soon as payment is received. I use same sleeves to rear literally thousands of Saturniidae, Sphingidae and butterfly larvae each season.
Return to Main Index