PROBLEMS with inbreeding!!!

 

I don’t know if members have noticed but there is not enough new blood-stock going round, each year we have the same species going round the members and only occasionally do we get a new species to try. I think this problem is getting serious, l know every member has this problem, l just happen to have 250 ova of Eupackardia calletta recently and a few orders came in to my surprise only 6 hatched but l did think this would happen. I have tried everywhere to get stock of calletta with no success, so what else can you do!!!. Even if we get wild stock, by the time the 2nd or 3rd generation comes along the stock gets weaker or the moths refuse to pair or there is a very poor hatching rate in the ova. The only way l can see to improve the situation is for members to do more swapping of livestock to improve their stock.. I think this problem with related siblings ( pairing moths from the same batch of ova) is also a major factor with this problem...it would be better to get stock from as many sources as possible to mix them and rear to improve chances of successful pairing of the adults. I know the computerage has done wonders for members who want to correspond to get new stock, but its near enough impossible for members without a PC. My good friend Brian Camplin in Grimsby knows to well he has sent 30 or so letters within a year or 2 and had only 2 replys. So how on earth does he get new stock to rear. With a PC its near enough a instant reply even a no to correspond is better than nothing at all. I dont know what other members think of this, but feel free to to contact me on Email mookie@ntlworld.com [Ian Mascall].

 

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