I have moths!!!!

[Miss Lily]

Whooppee!!! I woke up this morning to find 4 cute l'il silkmoths! They are bigger than I remember! Hopefully more will emerge tomorrow as it seems I have 3 males and one female. I am a very happy cham-per today, lol!

 

[ChamomilleCame]

Awesome! How big are they?

 

[Miss Lily]

Here's a couple of pics! They are so cute! I believe I have 1 female and 3 males - can anyone confirm this?

Their antennae look like false eyelashes, lol!

 

[Solid Snake]

Sweet!
Thanks for sharing

 

[brandon1]

Here's a couple of pics! They are so cute! I believe I have 1 female and 3 males - can anyone confirm this?

Their antennae look like false eyelashes, lol!

Yep, the long antennae and the smaller bodies on the three indicate males. The larger one with smaller antennae is definately female.

 

[Miss Lily]

Thanks! I hadn't noticed that the antennae are different. Will have to prod them and take a look! Seems like they are all sleeping now, but the pair are still locked. Have been since about 9.30 this morning.

 

[brandon1]

Thanks! I hadn't noticed that the antennae are different. Will have to prod them and take a look! Seems like they are all sleeping now, but the pair are still locked. Have been since about 9.30 this morning.

Yeah they could stay that way for a while. I've heard after they're unlocked you should put the female by herself so she won't be disturbed. The male however will be fine and can continue breeding but sadly the female will not. Not trying to sound like a know it all but just wanted to make sure you were aware of these things

 

[Miss Lily]

Thanks for that - any info on the moths is great. I know plenty about the silkworms themselves as I have raised these from eggs that hatched back in December. I have never had this many cocoons though, and I know more will emerge in the morning. I was planning on separating the female after mating so she can lay her eggs in a different tub in peace. I am going to give the cup method a try - where you place a plastic cup over her so she lays the eggs in a contained area.

 

[Robyrango]

CONGRATULATIONS!!
Yep, I think you're right 3 boys and a girl..And she's not wasting any time!
How long did it take for them to hatch? Cuteeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

 

[Miss Lily]

It took a little over two weeks - possibly 3. Can't remember exactly, but I gave my friend the first pupae and she is still waiting for hers to hatch! They hadn't long emerged when I got up this morning so I transferred them to a tub with clean paper towel in and they got down to it straight away! The two other males tried to mate with each other but soon gave up! I hope I get more females tomorrow, so they can have a girlfriend each!

 

[brandon1]

Thanks for that - any info on the moths is great. I know plenty about the silkworms themselves as I have raised these from eggs that hatched back in December. I have never had this many cocoons though, and I know more will emerge in the morning. I was planning on separating the female after mating so she can lay her eggs in a different tub in peace. I am going to give the cup method a try - where you place a plastic cup over her so she lays the eggs in a contained area.

Good idea. First time I tried it went disastrous. I placed 10 cocoons in a Country Crock butter tub. On the day that I had to leave for few days a couple started to emerge. I wanted to get the cocoons out so they didn't lay the eggs on them because I knew that would be a problem but my hands were tied. When I got back all the moths had emerged and there were eggs on every single cocoon . That happened over a month ago and after taking the eggs out of the fridge I tried gently scraping them off, but to no avail.

 

[ChameleonFan1989]

Pleaseeeeeeee don't feed them off! Just to cute <3

 

[Miss Lily]

I used to feel the same! But since I have so many, I will try and feed some off to Amy if she want them. But not until they have finished mating and laying their precious eggs! I just won't be able to watch them being eaten.

 

[Whatcamo]

Yeah they could stay that way for a while. I've heard after they're unlocked you should put the female by herself so she won't be disturbed. The male however will be fine and can continue breeding but sadly the female will not. Not trying to sound like a know it all but just wanted to make sure you were aware of these things

I'm not so sure of this as I've seen several of my females breed 2-4 times and lay after each time so?

 

[Whatcamo]

Btw congrats there miss on the success in happy your wait is over!

 

[brandon1]

I'm not so sure of this as I've seen several of my females breed 2-4 times and lay after each time so?

That's interesting . Are you sure it was the same female and that you didn't just get them mixed up, and that they were silkworms (Bombyx mori)?

 

[Miss Lily]

I am no expert, but just by looking at the female - she is full to bursting - once she is mated and lays I'm not sure she will produce more eggs. They emerge as moths with a belly full of eggs ready to be fertilised. I shall be watching mine closely tomorrow to see what happens, although the pair have been separated from the two other males.

Edit - I just found this info with a quick google. Will be interesting to see what happens.

Once the moths emerge, they will mate. (Females are significantly larger than male moths.) They stay mated for about a day, and after separation, the female lays eggs, while the male looks for another female to mate with.

Sometimes another male will grab the female before she can lay eggs.

 

[Whatcamo]

Yup yup and yes haha I marked some of the females with a little dot so I could follow them easier on they're journey seeing as I have 250+ moths right now but yeah I've been keeping track of some of the females very closely and I'll add a dot if I see her breeding again and another dot of another color If she's breeding again etc.

 

[Miss Lily]

I thought about marking my females, so I know which ones have been mated. What are you using to mark them with? It would need to be something safe if you intend to feed the little cuties off after.

 

[Whatcamo]

Food coloring on a toothpick it's a very small amount and perfectly safe