Silkworm breeding
- Thread starter SMCNARY
- Start date
One tip. Don't take out too many eggs at a time and be patient.
Sorry it has been crazy this afternoon, it was you I was in the process of responding to when my work cut my connection to the forum. I have to go out of town tonight but will try to get you some more info by tomorrow
Pap
Member
Whenever you get a chance man no rush I'm sure they will be just fine as long as i keep feeding them.. They did come in this morning while I was at work though... Just got home to check them out... super excited.!
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pigglett79
Avid Member
Experienced my first case of mold today. I have never had mold in my silks before, but since they were in the incubator and I have it humid in there for the eggs the mold grew pretty fast. I quickly moved the silks over to a new petri dish and just hope the mold didnt do any damage to them.
So, baby silks will no longer stay in the incubator, its just too humid.
So, baby silks will no longer stay in the incubator, its just too humid.
Chameleonmaster
Avid Member
I need to get me some silks! I am missing out
pigglett79
Avid Member
Nice job. I was able to get rid of the mold as fast as it came. I now have hundreds of babies growing.......if only they would hurry up and get to feeding size, I want to give some to our new boy Spike.
Nice to see your silks are cooperating,
Thank you,want to chat with u this wknd if you have time, have some very interesting info with regard to temps and humidity and also some other things to share and ask your opinion on
pigglett79
Avid Member
Hah, ok. Just not tonight, I had too many beverages while building the outside leaning towers of pizza today.
After the silks cocoon in the big tub with the T.P. rolls it's time to move the cacoon's to the moth breeding tub. This came straight from pigglett so all credit goes to her,I am just following her advice!!! (Thanks again Pigglett ) here are the pictures to show this step. I have over 120 cocoons so far and should have another 60 or so soon. I had to set up 2 of these so far.
The moths will breed and lay eggs in these tubs. The tp rolls are to place over the females while laying to keep the eggs in a concentrated area.
The moths will breed and lay eggs in these tubs. The tp rolls are to place over the females while laying to keep the eggs in a concentrated area.
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stephencartolano
Member
Hey, can I ask how the smell is? just curious
Smell
They don't smell at all! The only smell I have ever noticed is from the fresh food and that does not smell bad at all and goes away in 2-3 hours. I have my set up in my office in my home as the humidity is very low at about 30-35% and I have found this is VERY important to there health and have not lost even 3% after I figured that out. I have lost no more then 6 worms out of 200 that I started this project with and those were due to me moving cacoons from the area they had started to spin in. They only have enough silk to spin one time and if moved in the process of spinning they can't complete the cacoon.
They don't smell at all! The only smell I have ever noticed is from the fresh food and that does not smell bad at all and goes away in 2-3 hours. I have my set up in my office in my home as the humidity is very low at about 30-35% and I have found this is VERY important to there health and have not lost even 3% after I figured that out. I have lost no more then 6 worms out of 200 that I started this project with and those were due to me moving cacoons from the area they had started to spin in. They only have enough silk to spin one time and if moved in the process of spinning they can't complete the cacoon.
stephencartolano
Member
Awsome to hear! It is the cacoons collected after that is then woven into silk? Could be a cool bi-product
pigglett79
Avid Member
Awsome to hear! It is the cacoons collected after that is then woven into silk? Could be a cool bi-product
In order to use the cocoon for silk you have to kill the moth before it hatches. They typically bake them to do this. When the moth emerges it makes a hole in the cocoon that destroys the possibility of using if for silk.
Nice job Steve, cant wait to see all those moths.
