User:Kugamazog/sandbox

Saturniids
Promethea silkmoth, Callosamia promethea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Saturniidae
Subfamilies
Arsenurinae Ceratocampinae Hemileucinae Agliinae Ludiinae Salassinae Saturniinae

Saturniidae are a family of large moths in the Lepidoptera. These moths are raised in captivity for hobby and business. They can be raised for their silk or for their beauty.

Saturniids as a hobby

Containment

Actias luna 5th instars in a bucket. This is an example of overcrowding.

There are several ways to contain Saturniids will the caterpillars eat. One way is to have a large mesh container. This works especially well for later instars but there are may be some problems with caterpillars fitting through the holes and wandering off. For recently hatched or early instar caterpillars, it is advised to raise them in a sealed container. This helps keep the humidity at a constant level and prevents the caterpillars from wandering away from the food source. As they grow, it is best to separate them to only a few caterpillars per container. This reduces the amount of frass buildup and helps dampen any disease that may affect the caterpillars.