Coenonympha ochracea pseudobrenda

Photo Life History: Coenonympha ochracea pseudobrenda;

Host Plants: Bunch grasses.

Suitable Lab Host Plants: Bromus inermus; Phalaris arundinacea. (Larvae will accept most grasses in the lab.)

How to Find Female Butterflies: Click here. Females can be flushed out of meadows by gently waiving a butterfly net over the tops of grasses.

Caring for Live Female Butterflies: Nectaring techniques

Methods of Female Oviposition: Open Screen Cages; Portable Cages; Potted Plant Sleeves. (Females sometimes oviposit on dead grass blades.)

How to Find Eggs:

How to Hatch Eggs: Consolidate eggs into one container.

How to Find Caterpillars in the Field:

How to Find Pupae in the Field:

Caterpillar setups: Open terrariums; Open Bucket; Potted Plant

Larva to Pupa: Caterpillar silks to leaf or twig; creates and attaches cremaster; hanging as a J before pupating.

Number of Broods per Year: 1

Overwintering Stage: Third or fourth instar.

Overwintering Strategies:

Post-Hibernation Strategies:

Emergence: Emergence Container

Avoiding Diapause Techniques:

Disease Prevention: Change out host plant and remove frass every three to five days.

Emergence: Emergence Container

Field Notes: Unlike Coenonympha ochracea elko, I have not been able to get lab-reared larvae of Coenonympha tullia pseudobrenda to avoid diapause at third or fourth instar. They continue to feed; but do not grow past a certain size and instar. Whether or not this is a specific difference between the two taxa, I don't know.