Frozen Silkies? It is funny!!!!

[Mesnik]

This is for those that might find themselves on the same situation as me:

Yesterday I received my first order os silk worms... I got the mail out of the mailbox around 7:30 PM and the temperature here in Michigan at that time was about low 40s.

I open the box and found the "Pod" from Coastal SW with 50 silkies. I look at them, and they looked frozen! I am staring at them for a while, showed it to my wife. Yeap, they are frozen, cause they are NOT MOVING AT ALL!!

So I called Coastal and after explaining to the guy (very nice service, by the way!) my problem, he asked: "Have you ever had silk worms before?". I said:"No, first time." He then told me that they just don't move at all and could open the box to touch them... I felt really stupid... Well, live and learn!!!!


I am still laughing just remembering it!!!

Roberto.

 

[Phatturk]

I think they were frozen. I am not sure but if they are cold blooded they will just stop when they get too cold and start moving again when warmed up. My silk worms move quite a bit, especially if I blow on them they all kinda perk up and start waiving their heads in the air.

Are your moving any more after being warmed up?

 

[lonomac]

They sleep with their heads slightly in the air and don't move, probably what they were doing especially since it was cold

 

[lele]

lol! I can understand that, being your first encounter with them. They are a "gregarious" species meaning that they tend to feed and molt (shedding skin) together especially in their early instars (the phase between molts). When startled, they will raise their head in unison and show the hump with darkened area (this is more pronounced as they grow) which is meant to fend off the predator - you! These have been domesticated for the silk industry for centuries in order to get the finest color, strength of silk and other properties so certain things have changed regarding their color, size and markings as well as the fact that the adults cannot fly (), but there are certain mechanisms that cannot be bred out. As mentioned, they also take this position when resting (they don't actually "sleep" as we think of sleep) as well as when preparing to molt. Take some time to observe and you'll learn even more. They are cool little guys. Btw, if they were truly frozen you'd have had a pod of black, deflated mush

 

[arosstyler]

Yeah when they are hungry they put there heads in the air and move their heads in unison. Reminds me of a strange alien cult praying to there alien god about haha

 

[leoman]

Silkies!!!

Silk worms do move and quite a bit i have breed them contantly, when i feed them the mullberry leaves the go crazy to eat and also silk worms do not sleep at all, their only purpouse in the larva stage ist fat up and turn into moths.

 

[dodolah]

Silk worms do move and quite a bit i have breed them contantly, when i feed them the mullberry leaves the go crazy to eat and also silk worms do not sleep at all, their only purpouse in the larva stage ist fat up and turn into moths.

hi leoman.. where do you buy the fresh mulberry leaves?

 

[Mesnik]

Day 3 with Silkies

So today I tried feeding Izzy for the first time silkies (he is almost 2 month old) and he LOVED it!! Ate two and was all happy.

I have been keeping an eye on the silkies and even thou they are not frozen (HE!HE!) the still look like they are.

Not much movement there! I don't know which is slower, watching the silkies or the grass grow...

Later,
R.

 

[leoman]

I dont

I do not buy the mullberry leaves i pick them up from a tree in my neiborhood

 

[dodolah]

I do not buy the mullberry leaves i pick them up from a tree in my neiborhood

LOL
poor neighbors..