Cecropia and Stuart
Moth Man

Moth Man.

For the past 10 years I have been raising Cecropia moths. It started with a favor for Phil Pellitteri (UW - Extension Entomologist) who asked me to 'baby sit' a larvae while he went out of town. Since then I have been fascinated with these elegant and beautiful creatures, how easy and fun it is to raise them, and how important it is to keep them from extinction. <read more >

  • 2009 Season: hard to believe I've been doing this for 10 years....

  • 2009 highlights:

    • Cool spring with relatively late emergence of Cecropia and Prometheus moths.
    • Segment on WPT's Wisconsin Gardner with Shelley Ryan to be aired 23 July 2009 at 7:30 PM on Wisconsin Public Television. "... strikingly beautiful and cause no harm to the garden." (Shelly's referring to the moth larvae - not me.)
    • First year I've had a Prometheus moth mate and lay eggs (complete full life cycle).
    • Oh, the humanity!!! (moth-anity?). Larvae population decimated by (???)

  • 2010 Season: Getting some good feedback, and questions, from this web site. THANKS!

  • 2010 highlights:

    • Very warm spring with relatively early emergence of Cecropia and Prometheus moths.
    • My only female Cecropia 'flew the coop' before I could get any eggs. Will this be the first year I don't raise Cecropia?
    • Saved by a friend, I have Cecropia AND Promethea eggs once again.
    • Promethia eggs laid on 16 June AND a female prometheus moth who emerged on 1 July attracted 3 male moths from the wild. Evidence that they don't all come out at the same time.

  • Click here to view 'early years' web site (1999 through 2002)


Resources:

Contact me at email link at bottom of page if you have questions, need eggs, or would just like to chat about raising moths.

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