Hypaurotis crysalus citima

Photo Life History: Hypaurotis crysalus citima

Suitable Lab Host Plants: Quercus alba or any other oaks

Caring for Live Female Butterflies: Nectaring techniques

Methods of Female Oviposition: Ken Hansen reports having success getting eggs out of females using the Open Screen Cages. Others have struggled to get females to lay eggs.

How to Find Eggs: Eggs near leaf buds or nearby stems. It is best to locate eggs in the late winter/early spring; so that you don't have to overwinter them.

How to Hatch Eggs: Keep egg on original leaf

How to Find Caterpillars in the Field: Not generally productive. The key to finding immatures is finding eggs.

Caterpillar setups: Closed Container--Because larvae can camouflage themselves so well on oak, separating them out and rearing them in closed containers seems to make it easier to find larvae as compared to setting them up in a open terrarium.. Replace host and frass every 24-48 hours. Place in enough host plant in small squat tub to keep the leaves succulent.

Overwintering Stage: Ovum.

Overwintering Strategies: Your Own Backyard; Refrigerator method may be too harsh unless you can provide consistent humidity; while avoiding mold.

Larva to Pupa: Larva Changes Color;

Emergence: Emergence Container

Number of Broods per Year: 1

Avoiding Diapause Techniques: Unknown.

Disease Prevention: Change out host plant and remove frass every day.

Field Notes: Dr. Andy Warren, Mike Stangeland, Kim Davis and I have noted that as larvae silk themselves to the host scrub oak. This silking can be structured enough to be considered "a loose nest."