February 15, 2011
Frequent UPRM-INVCOL blog readers will recall that some five months ago we acquired eggs of the endemic and potentially endangered butterfly species Atlantea tulita. Well, since then Hernán and Andrés made it their “side” project to try to rear this species from egg to adult, which (among other obstacles) involved getting fresh plants of the sole host species Oplonia spinosa (Acanthaceae) day after day, week after week, and month after month to keep the slowly growing caterpillars alive. Some time in late January, after what seemed an interminable period, the first individuals finally pupated, and then only 10 days later the adults emerged! There were hugs and high fives everywhere. The whole process was meticulously set up, documented, photographed, and even videotaped, and we hope to share this information both through peer-reviewed and on-line publications. In the meantime, here are some images from the rearing experiment.

Frequent UPRM-INVCOL blog readers will recall that some five months ago we acquired eggs of the endemic and potentially endangered butterfly species Atlantea tulita. Well, since then Hernán and Andrés made it their “side” project to try to rear this species from egg to adult, which (among other obstacles) involved getting fresh plants of the sole host species Oplonia spinosa (Acanthaceae) day after day, week after week, and month after month to keep the slowly growing caterpillars alive. Some time in late January, after what seemed an interminable period, the first individuals finally pupated, and then only 10 days later the adults emerged! There were hugs and high fives everywhere. The whole process was meticulously set up, documented, photographed, and even videotaped, and we hope to share this information both through peer-reviewed and on-line publications. In the meantime, here are some images from the rearing experiment.

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