? Unpack your cocoon and soak it in tepid (room
temperature) water for 60 seconds.
? Place your cocoon in a mesh insect house or
any enclosed container at least 11 inches high by
11 inches in diameter. Your cocoon may wriggle
a bit.
? Place a small branch or stick in your house
to give your moth a place to hang once it has
emerged.
? Spray cocoon lightly with tepid water every other
day. A plant sprayer with a fine mister works well
for this. Don’t let your cocoon get too wet. Make
sure that it isn’t sitting in a puddle.
? The moth will emerge from the cocoon within
two to four weeks. Release it in a dark or shady
place a day or two after it emerges
I wouldn't mist it. It should be fine. Misting might make fungus infections more likely. Keep it in a cool dry place. That has worked for me with Cecropia moths pupae.
I just got a pupa for a moth I plan to pin (after it's lived out it's week-long life), but I hear mixed things about how to care for the pupa. Does it need to be misted, or is that optional? Also, should the cocoon be pinned to a branch or sit on the floor of the enclosure?