"Dear All
"I'm having a bad evening so I've decided to drop you a line so that
you can sympathise...
"Firstly, since I brought the Loepa kuangtungensis cocoons
indoors I've had about 8 moths emerge including two males. The males
emerged last Wednesday night - obviously knowing that I was going
away for four days the following morning. Consequently I don't know
if I've had any pairings - but I suspect not as the males don't
seem very vigorous. They're on their way out now. I've just checked
the remaining cocoons (from an original 33). They all contain dead
moths which obviously tried (and failed) to emerge outdoors before
I brought them in. I've gathered up the eggs (not very many -
perhaps about 80?) and I'll keep them cool until spring in the
hope that they might be fertile.
"It seems that L. kuangtungensis is multi-brooded - with the
last brood of the year in late autumn producing overwintering eggs.
You live and learn.
"Then half an hour later I was in my insect room and I noticed
something strange on the floor behind the (beer) fridge. Part of a
mittrei cocoon was sticking out of a hole in the floorboards. I
realised immediately what had caused it to be there as at this time
of year we often get wood mice coming into the house - and I have
left a few empty cocoons around. However, when I pulled the cocoon
out, it transpired that there were several stuck together and they
were damp.
"I looked to the other side of the room - and, (expletive deleted),
all but two of my mittrei cocoons had gone from the hanging cage
where they were sitting, overwintering. I was furious but I'm even
more amazed at what this mouse (mice?) has done. The cage was hanging
- but the bottom was only about one foot off the floor.
"The only way that the mouse could get to it is to jump up. Then it
had to get into the cage. I expected to find a large chewed hole -
but no. The only opening is a small slit at the bottom of the zip
where the stitching had come undone. That was there before. Then the
culprit would have had to climb the sides of the netting and pull
down the cocoons which were pinned near the top of the cage.
(Several Antherina suraka cocoons were left untouched at the
bottom of the cage. They are probably distasteful having fed on
Privet.)
"Of course the mittrei cocoons would then need to be dragged one by
one out of the cage via the slit, down onto the floor and across the
room. No mean feat - especially when you consider that the mittrei
cocoons can weigh over twenty grams. That is as much as a wood mouse
(13 to 27 grams according to my Mammal Field Guide!).
"On the positive side... I haven't lost any other cocoons ... and I
do have a few overwintering eggs of two other Loepa species
from China. Still I'm definitely opening a nice bottle of wine
tonight to drown my sorrows. (Cheers Arthur!).
"How was your day?"
Alan
"PS Paul - if you think that this is worth printing for the
amusement and education of others please feel free, but leave in
the 'Cheers Arthur' (he'll appreciate that!)"
Be careful Alan. If you give a mouse a mittrei, he'll want a
glass of wine. Happy hunting!