Silkworm success! And a question!

[Tarzanfam]

Hi. Guess what!!!!! I started breeding silkworms. This pair is my first and I grew them from eggs. Now hoping we get more eggs!

Question: for those who do this, what do you do with the silk once they hatch? I have about 7 already. Does anyone sell them or give them away?

Thanks!!!

 

[MissSkittles]

Congrats on your success! I gather up all of the empty cocoons and set them aside, until I realize I have no use for them. Then in the trash they go. Lol I’ve seen them sold on Amazon as little face scrubbers or something like that. https://www.amazon.com/Memoir-Organ...E,1979505454,B01I6I9GMK,B08CDFSHRR,B003INUY2K I keep meaning to try it out, but forget.

 

[bbyoda]

You could probably compost them if you can't find a crafty purpose. Throw an free listing onto next door see if anyone is interested!

 

[kinyonga]

This is not a recommendation! It's up to you!
http://www.sciencebeautygal.com/tip...-a-guide-to-why-they-work-and-how-to-use-them

One more site...
https://www.muezart.com/blogs/mueza...ses-of-silk-fiber-and-cocoons-in-diy-projects

 

[MissSkittles]

This is not a recommendation! It's up to you!
http://www.sciencebeautygal.com/tip...-a-guide-to-why-they-work-and-how-to-use-them

One more site...
https://www.muezart.com/blogs/mueza...ses-of-silk-fiber-and-cocoons-in-diy-projects

Well I guess it’s a good thing I keep forgetting to try using my cocoons on my face. Have enough problems with maskne.

 

[Tarzanfam]

Eek. I am not sure about that! I think I will find another use for them. Just seems silly to throw something out that others raise them for! Thanks everyone! In other news, Neptune is 16g today. He gained 3g this week! I am feeling so much more hopeful about his success now!!!

 

[MissSkittles]

Eek. I am not sure about that! I think I will find another use for them. Just seems silly to throw something out that others raise them for! Thanks everyone! In other news, Neptune is 16g today. He gained 3g this week! I am feeling so much more hopeful about his success now!!!

The felting project looks like it might be fun. Just have to degum the cocoons and dye it if you like.

 

[redhorse]

Congrats on your success! I gather up all of the empty cocoons and set them aside, until I realize I have no use for them. Then in the trash they go. Lol I’ve seen them sold on Amazon as little face scrubbers or something like that. https://www.amazon.com/Memoir-Organic-Silkworm-Finger-Rub/dp/B074VZ2YCS/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=Silk+cocoon&qid=1638316996&qsid=136-3088801-8012658&sr=8-11&sres=B07JG1VMWX,B01J7HNU1C,B001DX5O6I,B083QJD1DL,B001DX80WI,B01MRF32D8,B08LXSZ14V,B014JJ770I,B08YNCCTDQ,B074VZ2YCS,B07T7N6G24,B078M1JJ3X,B08G8WD5LL,B07JZ6FC1D,B001DXC6MI,B001DX80BE,1979505454,B01I6I9GMK,B08CDFSHRR,B003INUY2K I keep meaning to try it out, but forget.

Oh no! Donate to elementary science class. 2nd grade curriculum learns about the life cycle of ????? (could be butterfly, moth, beetle, frog or a few). The kids get to take home a SILKWORM COCOON. Then they want to learn about silk which leads to a nice quick history lesson.
cool stuff!!!

 

[Pickle-cham]

Unfortunately the silk gets broken when you allow them to chew out, the silk industry rather cruelly boils the moths alive in chemical soups to keep the silk in a continuous thread. There is some ethical silk Which is called Ahimsa silk or peace silk, which allows the moth to evacuate before processing the silk. It is inferior quality too Mulberry silk which doesn't allow them to break cocoon.

 

[MissSkittles]

Oh no! Donate to elementary science class. 2nd grade curriculum learns about the life cycle of ????? (could be butterfly, moth, beetle, frog or a few). The kids get to take home a SILKWORM COCOON. Then they want to learn about silk which leads to a nice quick history lesson.
cool stuff!!!

Do schools still do stuff like that? My last experience with the public school system it seemed like they’ve managed to suck any potential fun out of learning. Every time I hatch some eggs, I do think about how awesome it would be for kids to experience the whole life cycle of silkworms.

 

[Tarzanfam]

Oh no! Donate to elementary science class. 2nd grade curriculum learns about the life cycle of ????? (could be butterfly, moth, beetle, frog or a few). The kids get to take home a SILKWORM COCOON. Then they want to learn about silk which leads to a nice quick history lesson.
cool stuff!!!

That is a great idea!

 

[Carol Preston]

I breed silkworms for their silk. I clean and simmer the cocoons for ten minutes with dish washing liquid, rinse thoroughly and dry. Then i card it out using the manual carders that wool crafters use. It becomes the softest and beautiful product, and can be spun (with a strand of cotton counter to the silk) or used as the filling for a duvet. You need about 6000 cocoons for one duvet. I also make paper.

But I have a problem. My silkworms have started to hatch even though we are going into winter (I live in South Africa). I have experienced a lot of very strange behaviour with strange hatching times and am wondering if there is anyone out there that can explain this. I have put as many mulberry leaves in the freezer as I can, but they are already rather crispy due to frost. Can anyone help please?

 

[Lindasjackson]

I’m sorry no one answered your question. Perhaps no one here knows the answer. I’m sorry.

 

[Pickle-cham]

I breed silkworms for their silk. I clean and simmer the cocoons for ten minutes with dish washing liquid, rinse thoroughly and dry. Then i card it out using the manual carders that wool crafters use. It becomes the softest and beautiful product, and can be spun (with a strand of cotton counter to the silk) or used as the filling for a duvet. You need about 6000 cocoons for one duvet. I also make paper.

But I have a problem. My silkworms have started to hatch even though we are going into winter (I live in South Africa). I have experienced a lot of very strange behaviour with strange hatching times and am wondering if there is anyone out there that can explain this. I have put as many mulberry leaves in the freezer as I can, but they are already rather crispy due to frost. Can anyone help please?

Maybe you can create mulberry chow with frozen mulberry leaves

As for an explanation for unexpected behaviour:
In southern Africa's summer rainfall region, El Niño brings drought and La Niña brings rain, warmer minimum temperatures and warmer maximum temperatures (good agricultural conditions but also conditions under which parasites flourish.26 Oct 2021(google)

 

[Firewallx]

I breed silkworms for their silk. I clean and simmer the cocoons for ten minutes with dish washing liquid, rinse thoroughly and dry. Then i card it out using the manual carders that wool crafters use. It becomes the softest and beautiful product, and can be spun (with a strand of cotton counter to the silk) or used as the filling for a duvet. You need about 6000 cocoons for one duvet. I also make paper.

But I have a problem. My silkworms have started to hatch even though we are going into winter (I live in South Africa). I have experienced a lot of very strange behaviour with strange hatching times and am wondering if there is anyone out there that can explain this. I have put as many mulberry leaves in the freezer as I can, but they are already rather crispy due to frost. Can anyone help please?

Hi. Often silkworm eggs go into diapause during winter, but sometimes they don't go into diapause at all and just develop and hatch. It's determined by the conditions the female experienced when she was an egg. It is a normal occurrence and when it happened to me the first time, I didn't expect it either. I have found that even if the female moths are sisters whom were hatched under the exact same conditions there's still a chance that one or more will give me non-diapause eggs while the others have eggs which do go into diapause.