Silkworm breeding

[SMCNARY]

I recently put together a silkworm breeding shelf with heat. I have seen a tremendous improvement in my silks. Out of 200 small worms I literally have not lost 5 worms!!! All the worms are growing so fast,I have many already in the breeding bin and several have turned into cocoon's. I had one big set back as I lost a huge batch of eggs!!! It seems that even though the silks must have a very low humidity the eggs must have a very high humidity and the young hatchlings also. Any way here are some pictures...

 

[DavidBuchan]

Nice work! I never bred silks myself....I have enough insects to look after....
So I just buy them a batch at a time. I might be buying a load of eggs for when my baby chams hatch though

 

[chameleonkev]

How hard is it to breed silkies? I've never looked into it but would be worth it just for how good of a feeder they are and how much they cost

 

[SMCNARY]

How hard is it to breed silkies? I've never looked into it but would be worth it just for how good of a feeder they are and how much they cost

Well its not that hard (now that I have made ALL the mistakes I could ) but you need to do your homework first. If you do want to breed them pm me when you are ready and I will try to share the things not in print that I had to learn the hard way Check out piglett's care guide on silks as it will prove VERY helpful!!!

 

[pigglett79]

Nice job, I hope your new batch is a success!

 

[SMCNARY]

Thank you,figured out what went wrong with last batch of eggs and more importantly how to fix it so I am feeling good about the next batch of eggs. I will however have about 100 times the eggs I need thinking about trying your trick for egg storage!!! By the way I could not have done this without your help!!! soooooo THANK YOU!!!

 

[Psychobunny]

Yours looks great!!
I just wait till they cocoon, put on a pair of rubber gloves, and move them
all to a shoe box and cover with a towel.

I just dont have the time to do it like you, with the paper rolls and stuff.
That would be the ideal way.

 

[Pap]

Looks pretty awesome man.. I actually just ordered a breading kit from coastal silkworms yesterday... I've read up a little bit and watched some youtube videos with some good info... but if you have any tips or tricks for me I would appreciate the help...

 

[nightanole]

Im really hoping the eggs i collected in jan and put in the fridge will activate. We shale see.

 

[Kate]

Im really hoping the eggs i collected in jan and put in the fridge will activate. We shale see.

One tip. Don't take out too many eggs at a time and be patient.

 

[SMCNARY]

Looks pretty awesome man.. I actually just ordered a breading kit from coastal silkworms yesterday... I've read up a little bit and watched some youtube videos with some good info... but if you have any tips or tricks for me I would appreciate the help...

Sure I will be happy to help,read pigletts care and breeding guide first and them pm me and after 6:00 pm when I am off work I can give you any help you need.
I have found out a few things that make a big difference and have yet to see them in print so I will get with you tonight

 

[SMCNARY]

Yours looks great!!
I just wait till they cocoon, put on a pair of rubber gloves, and move them
all to a shoe box and cover with a towel.

I just dont have the time to do it like you, with the paper rolls and stuff.
That would be the ideal way.

Thanks,I stole the idea from pigglett

 

[SMCNARY]

Nice work! I never bred silks myself....I have enough insects to look after....
So I just buy them a batch at a time. I might be buying a load of eggs for when my baby chams hatch though

Thanks, thats why I am breeding all these feeders so when i am ready for eggs to start hatching I will have a ready supply for the babies.

 

[pigglett79]

If you find some helpful tips I can always add them tho the blog w your name attached. Might be helpful to have as much info in one place as possible. I am planning an update soon as now I have the incubator.

 

[SMCNARY]

I will pm you when I have a little time to collect a few notes I have made and you can see what you think! If you want to add them cool,does not matter if you put my name with them,only thing that matters is we get good info out for others to use as you have been doing so well at already. I say again the info you provided helped me alot and I would not even be close to doing as well as I have without YOUR help!!! Thanks again

 

[pigglett79]

I will pm you when I have a little time to collect a few notes I have made and you can see what you think! If you want to add them cool,does not matter if you put my name with them,only thing that matters is we get good info out for others to use as you have been doing so well at already. I say again the info you provided helped me alot and I would not even be close to doing as well as I have without YOUR help!!! Thanks again

I agree, my main goal is to help everyone breed successfully.

 

[Jon114]

Any reason why everyone here uses silkworm chow and not mulberry leaves? I planted 3 trees 3 years ago and they're big enough now.

 

[pigglett79]

Any reason why everyone here uses silkworm chow and not mulberry leaves? I planted 3 trees 3 years ago and they're big enough now.

Most people are not lucky enough to have access to enough, or a constant supply of mulberry leaves. Also if they are started on leaves and you run out, its hard to get them to eat the chow.

They will eat a large quantity of leaves so if you have a constant supply of worms you will have a very naked tree.

 

[SMCNARY]

My guess would be that many do not live in a area with the climate conducive to grow them although I have not even thought about trying to do so. I will need to look into it and see about the viability of doing so. Another possible reason is the chow is so easy to use and I have read that silks that feed on real leaves can be reluctant to then feed on the chow after having the real thing. Thanks you have got me thinking about another possible project. When I try to explain the need for me to build a greenhouse to my wife I WILL blame YOU LOL

 

[Pap]

I agree, my main goal is to help everyone breed successfully.

Pigglett, You are doing an awesome job at it... I just read your blog thanks to SMCNARY and I'm now super excited for my worms to show up tomorrow.! I do have a question for you two... In your blog Pigglett you say that the room you keep your worms in stays around 80 degrees... I live in PA and its winter so my house is not that warm right now... I keep it around the 60-65 range... Will i need to get a small space heater or shine a heat lamp on them to get them up to the the 80 range?