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Photo#1311191
Gray California Moth - Arachnis picta - female

Gray California Moth - Arachnis picta - Female
Laguna Niguel, South Orange County, California, USA
November 3, 2016
Size: 1.25 inches
Hello- I saw this moth on my screen door and had never seen markings like this before. I touched it and it didn't even flinch. It had not layed the eggs yet. I thought maybe it was sick or hurt so left it alone. That was at around 2pm. 12 hours later at 2am, it had layed the eggs you see in the picture. Still not moving, but did not try to bother it. I would love to know what type of moth this is and what is going to hatch out of the eggs

Images of this individual: tag all
Gray California Moth - Arachnis picta - female Gray California Moth - Arachnis picta - female Gray California Moth - Arachnis picta - female

Moved
Moved from Arachnis.

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

I hope you have success rearing these eggs. They are beautiful creatures and cannot be identified to species without a hindwing view.

 
hindwings
yes, unfortunately I didnt get to see the Hindwing. But from the pictures I've seen of this species, and looks definitely like the Arachnis Picta from other images I've seen on here, I missed out. I am going to try and get or find a plant they like and move them to it so can watch the life cycle. I will post images as they grow.

Looks to be one of the Arachnis

When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars should be rather general feeders. You should be able to move them to almost any herbaceous plants in the vicinity. It would be great if you could post images of the caterpillars as they grow and change and mature.

 
Update....
Well the momma has left for her little ones to defend for themselves. She left anywhere from 10am-5pm. So I'm guessing she was there for about 24 hours. When you say herbaceous plants, what do you mean by that. I have a ton of cactus and succulents, I'm guessing those won't do. What's a good cheap plant I can pick up so I can move them to it and off the screen door. And I guess I move them after they hatch, which will be when? thanks for all your help!

 
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Lovebug, I am not an expert but I have done some caterpillar rearing.

I have removed eggs from my mothing sheet and it did not hurt them. I cannot say for sure, but I would try to gently remove one. If it comes off easily you can remove the others and place them in a small container you can see through - glass jar, etc. and place it in a window where you see it often. While you are waiting for the eggs to hatch, be looking around for tender vegetation to pick - ususally something fairly plentiful. When the caterpillars begin to hatch pick a "salad" of plants that you think might work and put it in a food storage container with a lid. As the caterpillars hatch I use a tooth pic to move them to the foliage. If you see black defication in the bottom of the container, they are eating and happy. It may take a couple of days before you see that. Add fresh vegetation when they have eaten it up or when the vegetation is wilted and dying. As the container gets dirty with Frass, pick fresh vegetation and move the cats to a clean container.

You can google rearing caterpillars for more ideas. Dave Wagner has written a great book, Owlet Caterpillars of Eastern NOrth America which includes rearing advice.

I recently reared one of the Lichen Moth caterpillars on Pigweed, but it did not pupate and a fellow BG contributor told me they like variation. It is a trial and error process, but you have nothing to lose.

Full Definition of herbaceous. 1 a : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an herb b of a stem : having little or no woody tissue and persisting usually for a single growing season.

Look around to see what native, low growing, tender plants are around. When the

 
Thank You!
This is awesome advice, and I will research a little if I have questions. I will do all the above as you mentioned and will post updates with pictures. Never done anything like this but I love all creature so will be so much fun.

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