Thursday, December 22, 2011

BRASIDAS SP. Rapu Rapu

Rapu Rapu Island > Albay province > Bicol > South Luzon
The very latest Obrimini I found about 2 months ago on a very tiny island lost in the Pacific ocean. A large species, even larger than the previous featured Brasidas lacerta? and probably the largest Obrimini known to science so far :))
Some difficulties to find a suitable foodplant, they eat Guava but only as last resort and never in large quantity as they should, very little of Mango and some Aracea (but only the stems and not the leaves strangely enough). That problem resulted in the premature death of 3 of the 4 pairs I collected :( Fortunately the last pair is still alive and feed on a guava/Aracea mix and I was able to collect a large number of eggs already. Hopefully the hatchlings will accept guava better than their parents and establish themselves on that foodplant. No hurry thought.....Brasidas eggs are due to hatch only after a 7-8 months incubation..........





No comments: