silkworms

[blazinreps]

This si a q for silkworm breeders. i got soem adults silkies. and fed um untill they cocconed they did that about a week agoand iw as jsutw ondering when they will start comin out. and what i should ahve set up for the moths to breed. i know they dont eat but i mean what do i kepe um in so the can lay there eggs. and i hear u have to cool the eggs first but the sites didnt give temps and how long. i got about ten coccons.

[ChristinaM]

depends on diffrent things, like temps they are kept at etc. But the moths generally emerge in bout 2-3 weeks. You won't nessecarily get moths out of all cocoons, as some die before they hatch.

You don't need anything really set up for the moths. They don't eat, don't fly......they can walk tho, but I leave mine in an open container and remove the cocoons as they are hatched out. Picking eggs off the silk cocoons is a pain in the butt. I use plastic containers of any sort, as the eggs stick to whatever they are laid on, and its easier to move em off of plastic.

The eggs are yellow to start with, and over a couple days, will turn black. Black eggs = fertile eggs. When they have turned black stick em in your fridge for a wk....then take em out into a warm spot, and hatching should begin in a couple weeks.

[meow_mix450]

hey

Does anyone have any silkworm sites i can read, and how to breed them.

And they eat mulberry leaves right???Cause i got tones of mulberry trees

Meow

[blazinreps]

Hye so far 4 have hatched and 2 are matting and there in a plastic container but its bumpy on the botom so i mite switch it so eggs dont get stuck in between the bumps i 6 more coccons left.

[ChristinaM]

I will dig some good ones up for you Meow.

[ChristinaM]

best silkworm link I have ever found:
http://www.pclaunch.com/~kayton/Silkworms/raising.htm

[blazinreps]

Hey i looked in this morning and i aheva bunch of eggs and shes mating with anouther male.

[ChristinaM]

awesome....you can remove the eggs if you wish, into another dish, and wait till they turn black before "winterring" them.

[meow_mix450]

thanks christina

Meow