Experiences in obtaining natural matings of Attacus species

Hello,

I obtained no constant success in trying a pairing of Attacus atlas and caesar using cages of 60-80 cm; in 2 occasion they paired, several others (maintaining the same temperature conditions) not.
So I'd like to know your experiences in which cages and environments you used for successful matings of this genus.

I wish you a good new 2006!

Mario

Greetings from Italy

Hello Mario,
Natural mating is not easy with this genus. They are a little bit lazy and personnaly I always had to help the pairing manually.
Some of us who obtained a natural one have said you need space, heat and a little wind for the male to find the female. Not that easy!
Happy new year to you too

Hello Mario
I confirm that it's quite easy to mate the Attacus atlas naturally if you get space, heating, and linear wind ventilation. In my butterfly Garden at Honfleur in Normandy, France, I regularly obtain the maintings. Remember also: it's better to place the new hatched female at the top of a high branch near the source of ventilation in the morning so that she is very quiet at night. It's better to keep the males outside the greenhouse during the daytime and to introduce them late in the afternoon. So that they are not maintained in the parfume of the female all day and are very exited once the female start attraction.
It's a real pleasure to see the males flying at sunfall looking for the female. They fly so well...