Silkworm journey

[redhorse]

I did look and could not even find the area again. I went over and over this little container but things moved during the night just enough to change things. I even counted open squares from the black screen (3) and could not find the area since the egg shell has moved too. Crazy!

Thanks for bringing that up. The chow is not soft enough to sink in it, but I have multiple thin layers over screen and maybe it ate through from a lower layer.

Toothpick would have been to big.. ha ha These guys are tiny.

The shed head idea that I had.. Well, my experience was from "Covid backyard curiosity (butterfly egg)" in General photo Forums.
After a few sheds the caterpillars head was shed too.

I have not seen any sheds but I know it is happening since occasionally I see one 1/2 way split. Maybe someone with more experience can let us know if the head even sheds at first or maybe it takes a few before that part comes off. I will make a guess they eat their skin like a frog or toad.

 

[Firewallx]

@redhorse, yes I know that they shed the head capsule each time. I've seen those discarded. I am suspicious of that one in the picture because I am not sure if I am seeing a part of his body behind it, or if it is just chow. I am worried that it's a stuck caterpillar.

I suggested a tooth pick for digging him out. I know they are tiny, but I use a electronic magnifier, the kind that low-vison people get, and that helps me to guide my movements carefully. You are using some kind of magnification, you could dig it out while watching under magnification.

 

[redhorse]

The magnification is only my phone at the moment. The layers of chow is very thin and I did look and could not find again. Sorry!

I am sure it made it out but still don't know why I don't see any other "head capsules" since they are shedding.

I am human and can be wrong, but I am taking pictures and videos too. There should be about 100 head capsules, where are they? ha ha Not a real question just a thought.

My next step (soon) is to mix the chow mix with other items members had shown to have eaten. Doing the boiling process just incase that is a key to killing things in the food or make it more pure.


Thanks again! For me it is a journey (somebody, I think Klyde O'Scope) mentioned "bucket list stuff, very true.

A wise person once said " the more you know, the more you realize you don't know".

There are little changes to the saying but in general it is so true. Thanks again for the input.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

A wise person once said " the more you know, the more you realize you don't know".

I've always said, "You don't know what you don't know." but I won't claim origination, cuz I don't know!

I wouldn't sweat the loss of that one worm out of 100(?) IDK what the typical survival rate is, but considering how many crickets I lose every week, and how many dead roaches every time I clean the bin... They're BUGS.

 

[redhorse]

I've always said, "You don't know what you don't know." but I won't claim origination, cuz I don't know!

I wouldn't sweat the loss of that one worm out of 100(?) IDK what the typical survival rate is, but considering how many crickets I lose every week, and how many dead roaches every time I clean the bin... They're BUGS.

Einstein “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.”

I like yours better and now a days you can clam it (Are you Albert? in hiding?) just paraphrasing your inspirations.

 

[Firewallx]

I wouldn't sweat the loss of that one worm out of 100(?) IDK what the typical survival rate is, but considering how many crickets I lose every week, and how many dead roaches every time I clean the bin... They're BUGS.

I guess that depends on how you feel about them. For me, they are not just bugs. It's like telling a dog owner "it's" just a dog, there's a difference in perspective.

Now, I know some are going to say that a dog and a silkworm aren't the same thing, and I know that. But what I'm saying is that for me, they hold that kind of value in my heart. They hold the role of "family pet" in my home. I understand that's not how everyone feels, but yeah I guess I do care when I lose them.

 

[redhorse]

Great argument-- I don't mind getting rid of the native roaches but my hissers is a different story

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

They hold the role of "family pet" in my home.

Right up until you feed them to a lizard.
My dog isn't raised to be food for another animal; he has a job.

 

[Firewallx]

Right up until you feed them to a lizard.
My dog isn't raised to be food for another animal; he has a job.

I never said that I fed them to a lizard. Actually, my first generation came from a pet store / someone breeding feeders, but I brought them home to live.
Mine are not food, they are my pets. I had a few Swallowtail caterpillars in the last few years, which is where my fondness of Lepidoptera began.
Their job, as far as I am concerned, is to eat, sleep and sh*t.

 

[redhorse]

Here is my Free Willie moment.
Sunday--- so I took the day off and did not put in order..
4
1
3
2

 

[Firewallx]

Wow! A Giant Swallowtail!! That's amazing!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I never said that I fed them to a lizard.

That wasn't made clear by any of your previous posts in this thread, and the subject of this forum is Chameleon Food.

 

[Firewallx]

That wasn't made clear by any of your previous posts in this thread, and the subject of this forum is Chameleon Food.

Admittedly, I only read the title of this thread. I know that in this forum they are cham food. Even so, I still find it helpful to read about raising silkworms in this forum, regardless of what the ultimate goal is. I'm only explaining why I would care enough to dig the little guy out. I still enjoy threads on here about feeders. In the end, I still learn something.

Of course it wasn't clear, I only mentioned it now. I didn't expect you to know.

 

[redhorse]

Back to business---
The head capsules are now in the pictures...
Pic 1 shows a shed of the head capsule starting to split. BINGO--.
There will be 2 and they are not together. Crazy stuff going on here.

 

[Sonny13]

I have been noticing they’re growing in absolute different rates. 1/3 is noticeable bigger (really fat and long) in one week, 1/3 grows in a steady pace and 1/3 hasn’t grow much. There with I suffer from daily fatalities, 1 or 2, can’t figure out what kills them. 90% they’re not or near food.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I have been noticing they’re growing in absolute different rates.

Not uncommon with feeders. I have dubias that are now over a year old. Some are adults capable of breeding, yet there are a few that—unless the adults have bred at room temp (low 70s)—are the same size as they were a year ago.

There with I suffer from daily fatalities, 1 or 2, can’t figure out what kills them.

Insect version of failure to thrive? Generally, in nature, the lower on the food chain and/or the more fecund a species, the more likely offspring will not reach maturity. And I would think at that stage they're likely pretty fragile anyway. BICBW

 

[redhorse]

Cool pictures and they look so smooth and plump. No wonder critters like to eat them. Do they eat the moss or is that for hydration?

I did the the Hornworm challenge and it really was like a warm water capsule with crunchy head. yum yum Superworm are like oat meal and Hamburgers are so much better. Now working on plant based foods. It's all about the seasoning (not the bass).

So! It is interesting that this morning there are no head capsules. I guess, as the little gals and guys are cruising around, they eat them. Might taste like a potato chips..
--still add drops of water about 3 or 4 times a day and the mix seems to be holding out with no signs of mold.
--had a straggler and wanted to assist getting him back in the game before he dried up..

I will make the assumption that during their shedding's, they don't always shed their head capsule since there are a few shedding in the pics and their head capsule is still attached (I could be wrong).

 

[Sonny13]

Do they eat the moss or is that for hydration?

Luckily not, it’s indeed for hydration. And I dust it with bee pollen twice a week.

Also read they shed 3-4 times before they become those chubby white worms.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Luckily not, it’s indeed for hydration. And I dust it with bee pollen twice a week.

Wouldn't the bee pollen incentivize them to eat the moss?

 

[Sonny13]

Wouldn't the bee pollen incentivize them to eat the moss?

Good one, don’t know . Can’t notice that moss is eaten. Also got dubia’s and locusts in there.