Silkworm question for breeders.

[Cainschams]

So I recently tried breeding silkworms. I read that you dont need very many to get a lot of eggs. I saved 15 of them and got them to cocoon. They all spun and eclosed. I have 6 females. Although I read you dont need very many how many is enough to get around 2000 eggs. Non have died and they are all breeding still but I would think after 3 or 4 days there would be more than 3 piles of eggs that equal I would say around 150 eggs. Damn! I thought I wasnt going to have to buy anymore Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[leoman]

Every female will lay about 150 eggs and then it will die it depends on the size of the moth(or worm before metamorphosis) once they lay their egg they will die but you don't really need so many eggs, when they hatch just save some for more breeding purpuses.

 

[Cainschams]

Thanks for the reply. Although I do want to feed them off anywhere from one week to full grown so i do need a ton of eggs .

 

[Jeweledchameleons]

I can attest to the fact that mulberry leaf fed silkies
not only grow faster and healthier
when compared to chow fed worms.
but should also reproduce accordingly as well
based upon my personal experience.

Did you feed your little guys chow?

 

[Cainschams]

Yeah I have been feeding chow. That stuff is expensive! I Know someone with a mulberry tree but they always chop it down to basically nothingt in the spring and did so before I found out about it this year. How many silk months do you think it will take to get around 2000 eggs. 100 per moth that would be say 50 moths of mixed sex. Also do they only lay once or multiple untill they die.

 

[leoman]

You could get about 20 moths that you keep on a shoe box and make sure the worms have constant food sorce preferly mulberry leaves and you keep the box in a worm place, and soon you will have 20 moths ready to breed that will produce about 2000 or more.