Silkworm Eggs

[tradershez]

Hi there,

I have read the Silkworm 101 thread and some extra questions which I would love to have some help on.

Originally we had our 6 silkworms in a box, then once they cocooned, I moved the cocoons into a plastic container. We had the first two come out - male and female, mated and so far we have had 1 female lay eggs all over some of the cocoons, the plastic bottom and the leftover silk...they have now started to turn dark in colour.

The eggs are all over the container - some are on cocoons (which are still to come out!)

Our questions are:
1) How do we move the eggs from where they have currently been laid?
2) What do we put them into?
3) We live in Southern Hemisphere - just about to go into full summer - we are also in QLD, Australia, HOT! Can we just go into another cycle straight away - how long would this take? Or would it be better to put them into fridge for a few weeks and remove and start again?

Thanks for your help!
Kind Regards
Tradershez

 

[pigglett79]

Hi there,

I have read the Silkworm 101 thread and some extra questions which I would love to have some help on.

Originally we had our 6 silkworms in a box, then once they cocooned, I moved the cocoons into a plastic container. We had the first two come out - male and female, mated and so far we have had 1 female lay eggs all over some of the cocoons, the plastic bottom and the leftover silk...they have now started to turn dark in colour.

The eggs are all over the container - some are on cocoons (which are still to come out!)

Our questions are:
1) How do we move the eggs from where they have currently been laid?
2) What do we put them into?
3) We live in Southern Hemisphere - just about to go into full summer - we are also in QLD, Australia, HOT! Can we just go into another cycle straight away - how long would this take? Or would it be better to put them into fridge for a few weeks and remove and start again?

Thanks for your help!
Kind Regards
Tradershez

Hello,

I have a multi part blog in my signature that might be of help to you. First off, its really difficult to move the eggs once they are laid. I find it best to put a toilet paper roll or equivalent around the female to control where she lays the eggs. I put the moths on paper towel so I end up with circles of eggs on paper towels that I can just cut out and put in petri dishes to hatch. If you are able to get the eggs off of where they were laid, you will need to glue them down to a new paper towel or dish prior to them hatching. This is why I find it easiest to just have the moth lay on a paper towel and control where she goes with a toilet paper roll.

If you choose to skip the diapause state (in the frig) and just try to hatch them out directly, it can take a long time. They can still hatch without a cold cycle; the hatching time is just very unpredictable. It could take months.

 

[Kate]

My understanding is that you can just go full cycle. I put paper towel on the bottom of the box for them to lay on, that way you can cut sections of towel and eggs out and place them in fridge to diapause. In your case because they are all over the place that would be difficult. When the next moths appear, take them away from the cocoons and place cardboard center from toilet roll over them so the eggs are manageable.

 

[Kate]

Beat me to it pigglett.

 

[pigglett79]

Beat me to it pigglett.

haha, we seem to both hit up the silk worm threads at the same time. Probably because we love them so.