Periwinkle

What you feed, where you get it from, basically we will build up a comrehensive list of suitable plants to feed Leaf Cutters. Also in temperate countries, what do you feed them in the Winter?
RichardP
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Periwinkle

Post by RichardP » Sun Feb 21, 2016 11:37 am

Sorry if this has been recommended before but I have loads of periwinkle in my garden. It grows like weeds and is evergreen. I don't why I didn't think of it before.

I've just put some in and they've demolished it.

Definitely another one to add to the list.

Atta solider
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Re: Periwinkle

Post by Atta solider » Sun Feb 21, 2016 2:21 pm

Can you take pic of the planet plz ???

RichardP
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Re: Periwinkle

Post by RichardP » Sun Feb 21, 2016 2:41 pm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinca_major

This link has a lot of photos. It has purple flowers in the summer but just the evergreen leaves in the winter.

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Deansie26
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Re: Periwinkle

Post by Deansie26 » Sun Feb 21, 2016 2:52 pm

Are the leaves quite course?

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Re: Periwinkle

Post by RichardP » Sun Feb 21, 2016 2:56 pm

deansie26 wrote:Are the leaves quite course?
No, I would describe them as soft. I little bit more robust than privet.

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Re: Periwinkle

Post by Atta solider » Sun Feb 21, 2016 5:48 pm

Great my nana as these in her garden haha think tonight I go out get some as its like ivy they grow mad thanks for the info tho

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Deansie26
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Re: Periwinkle

Post by Deansie26 » Sun Feb 21, 2016 6:00 pm

I'll need to keep an eye out for it.

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Acromyrmexbob
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Re: Periwinkle

Post by Acromyrmexbob » Sun Feb 21, 2016 7:04 pm

Dont have any of that around. Sometimes I get it in the corner of one of my eyes but I have never thought of feeding them to my ants. Sounds interesting. Will keep a look out.

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Andyj
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Re: Periwinkle

Post by Andyj » Fri Apr 01, 2016 7:21 pm

Here's a thought. At the end of last year i reared a lot of Oleander hawk moth caterpillars. The natural food plant for these is....Oleander. Ok so Oleander is a poisonous Mediterranean shrub and not exactly readily abundant to feed caterpillars on. So the alternative food plant for the caterpillar is Vinca, periwinkle. Periwinkle is also quite poisonous so wash your hands after use. These caterpillars will only thrive on Vinca major and not vinca minor as there is a difference in the chemical make up. Minor has course leaves. Major genrally soft. I know i'm boring you but the point i'm trying to make here is that i read an article about culling LF's in the wild using Oleander as this will kill them, and i was wondering if Vinca may have some of the same properties ?? if so best not use it perhaps.

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Re: Periwinkle

Post by Daubz1977 » Sun Apr 03, 2016 1:16 pm

Ive been feeding my attas periwinkle aswell and they love it, they take this with more enthusiasm than privet. they take the flowers as well on occasions.
ants i keep:-
Atta cephalotes
Polyrhachis dives
Camponotus cruentatus
Camponotus ligniperdus
Camponotus barbaricus
Formica cunicularia
Messor barbarus
Lasius niger

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