Hornworm Breeding help

[StickyTongues]

Hello everyone,
I have about 20 hornworms that got way too big way too fast and thought it was time to think about getting eggs from them. I have read a lot about it on here but no one really has a detailed plan on how to do it. With all the bits a peices i've been able to read from all the threads i kind of got an idea but there are still some missing details. Can someone who have bred hornworms please explain step by step how its done please? My worms are about 4 inches long and as big around as my index finger so i would imagine the are going to be ready to cocoon any day now. Thanks for any info.

Danny

 

[pssh]

Its incredibly simple. Allow them to pupate in moist soil/sand or moist shredded paper towels. Keep the substrate moist and warm until they hatch and become moths. Be sure they have something to climb up on to dry out their wings.

After that, they mate and lay by themselves. Just keep the light schedule correct (as it is in the arizona breeding manual thing, http://www.manducaproject.com) and feed them.

 

[StickyTongues]

How will i know when to take them out of the pod and place them in the soil?

Danny

 

[Whatcamo]

That's a good question wondered that myself! ^^^

 

[suzi]

There is a black line down there back that starts to pulse (throb) it looks similar to a vein in a shrimp. They will also stop eating and start to wander

 

[StickyTongues]

Cool, I see it. I can see the black line and it is pulsing, but they are still eating. They are not eating as much as they were just two days ago, but thay are still eating. i guess tomorrow i'll place them in a pot of soil and maybe place a strip of food just in case they still want to eat.

Danny

 

[suzi]

Cool, I see it. I can see the black line and it is pulsing, but they are still eating. They are not eating as much as they were just two days ago, but thay are still eating. i guess tomorrow i'll place them in a pot of soil and maybe place a strip of food just in case they still want to eat.

Danny

I have put them in when the line is pulsing and they are still eating, they always have burrowed and pupated. Then after 2 weeks I dig them up and mist them twice a day to make sure they don't dry out (you don't have to do that though)

 

[StickyTongues]

How deep does the soil need to be? Can i use a shoebox container or should i fill a 5gal bucket?

Danny

 

[pssh]

3 inches is fine. The soil needs to be moist or they will desiccate.