Hello Will, I would wait until after dusk and release her then into some vegetation, well away from your trap if you plan to run it again tonight. Put her out any earlier and she might well become Blackbird fodder (that's happened to me a couple of times in the past). If you plan to rear the eggs they should hatch within two to three weeks and will feed happily on sallow, bramble or blackthorn, but choose one of those which you have plenty of available locally and stick to it. By the time they're fully grown (late-June or early-July if reared indoors) they'll consume an awful lot of leaves!
Snap, Will! I had exactly the same this morning. I put her out discreetly to see if males might assemble, something that's happened here a few times in the past, but none turned up this time. Maybe the egg-laying suppresses the pheromones? We've had lots of fun here in the past breeding Emperors and Empresses - three generations in all. As Dave says, make sure you have plenty of food supply!
Thank you both.She departed of her own accord mid-morning.Hopefully avoiding the pied wagtails nesting in the cowshed!I have never tried to rear eggs so probably will place the egg carton containing them deep in brambles of which I have plenty!
Hello Will,
ReplyDeleteI would wait until after dusk and release her then into some vegetation, well away from your trap if you plan to run it again tonight. Put her out any earlier and she might well become Blackbird fodder (that's happened to me a couple of times in the past). If you plan to rear the eggs they should hatch within two to three weeks and will feed happily on sallow, bramble or blackthorn, but choose one of those which you have plenty of available locally and stick to it. By the time they're fully grown (late-June or early-July if reared indoors) they'll consume an awful lot of leaves!
Snap, Will! I had exactly the same this morning. I put her out discreetly to see if males might assemble, something that's happened here a few times in the past, but none turned up this time. Maybe the egg-laying suppresses the pheromones? We've had lots of fun here in the past breeding Emperors and Empresses - three generations in all. As Dave says, make sure you have plenty of food supply!
ReplyDeleteThank you both.She departed of her own accord mid-morning.Hopefully avoiding the pied wagtails nesting in the cowshed!I have never tried to rear eggs so probably will place the egg carton containing them deep in brambles of which I have plenty!
ReplyDelete