help needed: poplar hawkmoth hatched but not flying

[calamity jane]

Last summer, a friend brought me a caterpillar as a gift as he knows I love moths. I kept it in a jar with soil and poplar leaves and pretty soon it buried itself underground. A couple of nights ago I came home to find it hatched and on the kitchen door. I needed to move it in case my cat bothered it so I picked it up gently and it crawled around on my hands for a while. I put it outside in the ivy to dry it's wings.

Two days later, it is still there. I am worried as it has not flown. It is still alive and it's wings seem dry and fine bur why won't it fly? Have I damaged it somehow or is it too cold? I read somewhere about how if it's a female (I think it is) it won't fly uless it's been bred.

Should I leave it alone? Should I take it to find some Poplar trees or even take it back to the coast where my friend found it?

I feel upset that I have done something wrong and I want to know if I can put it right.

I would be grateful for any help, thank you.

[Ladywell]

I am not an expert but my guess is that this has emerged to early. I don't think that the adults feed so I am not sure what you can do. Hopefully, an expert will be along to advise soon.
My advice for the future would be not to take something on which you haven't researched or know how to cope with. I know can be an exciting project but you need to do your homework first.

[Ladywell]

Is anyone, with knowledge, going to answer this query??

[calamity jane]

Thank you for your help Ladywell. I know what you're saying, I certainly would never have brought a caterpillar home for myself - I'm fascinated by moths but I wouldn't usually meddle in any way.

I did do some research, I kept it the right sort of temperature, only gave it rainwater, not tap water and made sure there was no mould in the soil.
I tried my best given the circumstances and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to do the right thing for the moth now it has emerged.

I really hope someone can advise me - I've Googled it until I'm cross-eyed and found no definitive answer.

[ornithom]

I'm certainly no expert...so sorry for letting you down from the start. However, from what you (and Ladywell) have posted already its clear that Poplar Hawk Moth habits are about to become immortalised in this forum.

I think that you haven't found a definitive answer because there simply isn't one! So little is understood about moths in general that its difficult to find information. But I think that Ladywell is correct, your moth may have just hatched too early.

The adults don't feed, they rely on their energy reserves to carry them through the 3-4 weeks that it takes to find a mate and lay eggs. So with this in mind, if your moth knows its too early to find another moth, then why should it bother to find a mate? I would guess that until it warms up and it smells another Poplar mate then it may well just sit in the ivy until the end of May?

I guess you could move it to an area where there are other Poplar Hawks but from my experience they are pretty good at finding other moths, so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Also, they only fly after the 2nd day (ah - but I notice that you stated it was more than that in your first post).

Keep an eye on it, and when it does finally move off, post back and tell us! We may all learn something...

Regards

Steve T

[calamity jane]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply ornithom.

I read an awful piece online about how if they are handled too early, they release their meconium and therefore can't pump their wings and are 'crippled for life' and seeing as how I had picked it up to move it into the safety of the garden just after hatching - I spent this morning in tears thinking I had damaged it beyond repair.

I hope your right and I hope it warms up soon and it finds a mate. I will leave it where it is for now as it's pretty sheltered and safe. I spend great portions of the day shoo-ing the blackbirds away from it. I'm determined to look after it!

I will certainly keep you all posted and I trust you will all keep your fingers crossed. Thanks again and goodnight.

[Ladywell]

Calamity Jane - you have already learned an awful lot which will be useful in the future (not only to you). I have reared elephant hawkmoths in the past (only because someone had them on a bogbean in his pond and was going to 'zap' them!!) I kept them in the shed and when they emerged and had dried and inflated their wings I offered them a twig to climb on to transport them out in to the garden. The great thing about wildlife is that we never stop learning - sadly, sometimes, by our own mistakes. Now with great forums like WAB we all have immediate access to a wealth of knowledge and help.

[calamity jane]

Good news!

After 2 weeks of sitting patiently in my ivy, the moth has flown! I guess with the sudden warm spell this morning, he woke up. Thanks for your help again.

[Farplace]

Congratulations!!!!