Form breeding e.g. argynnis paphia f.valesina

[luehdorfia]

Last year there were many Argynnis paphia f. valesina in my area, normally it’s just 1-2% I’d say, last year about 25%.
If I have a female in the valesina form, and I have her lay eggs, would all females that hatch from these eggs be also form valesina? Or is it just a certain percentage? Or none at all?

Is there a rule for all butterflies or is it species dependent?

[Adam Cotton]

It would depend on whether the form is environmentally induced or genetic, and if genetic whether it is dominant or recessive.

Adam.

[luehdorfia]

I will try! And post my findings here

[xavm (Xavier)]

As said radusho, the gene 'valesina' is dominant - hence if your female is homozygote, you will be lucky.

[luehdorfia]

I found a very detailed breeding report exactly about Argynnis paphia form valesina, females were caught in southern Switzerland.
With this information I should be good to go. Most critical part of the breeding was overwintering the small larvae.
The report is by Klaus Schurian, in German, available here for the ones that are interested: www.zobodat.at/pdf/NEVA_19_0205-0215.pdf

Out of 27 females 25 were form valesina and only two the normal form. But this must be related to the population of southern Switzerland where there are almost half of all females of the form valesina.

[palikan]

I agree with Radusho.

if you have around 300 caterpillars, you must have a huge numbers of violets.
Last instar - caterpillars have a big appetite

Gynandromorph with valesina form is very very rare. I think 1:1000,
+ very very luck. Of course, eggs from form "valesina"