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.... After I had settled in, the family returned from siesta time and I got my first look at their rearing operations. They are quite different from others that I have visited in that everything is within the one huge saran vivero. The place was spotless, organized and reflected a perfectionism I can identify with and appreciate. Their near-zero mortality reflected the sanitation practices I observed. I learned that in February, three weeks of continuous strong winds had leveled the place but I could see no evidence of it other than patches in the vivero where the posts had punched holes through the fabric as it slapped in the gale. One area had host plants newly installed since the rebuild.
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All operations are within the vivero. This is definitely a family operation with daughters Veronica (seated) and Natalia showing up at 6:30 each morning. They had primary responsibility for three species while Omar handles the family specialty, Caligo atreus dionysos.

For Caligo, eggs are collected daily from the multitude of host plants (Cyclantheacae). Eggs are maintain in containers to prevent parasitism and then are transferred to a living plant on hatching. When they are in the prepupal stage, they are transferred to a Styrofoam box
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Instead of the standard ramada with a series of cages for pupating larvae, a plastic greenhouse is used. When ready, the larvae crawl off the plant and pupate on the walls and ceiling of the greenhouse; or if remaining on the plant, are pinned to a Styrofoam board to pupate. After they have pupated, they are packed to be taken to CRES.
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Because Caligo feeds on rotten fruit, nectar plants were sparse. This cosmos looked great but the milkweed, though loaded with flowers and developing seedpods, definitely had an aphid problem.

Click here to see the species reared by Omar and his daughters.

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