What is wrong with my silkworm eggs?

[Sharon12]

Starting my 3rd set of eggs. This last batch grew to good feeder size then turned black one by one. I also was super clean with them. Not sure why keep dying.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Starting my 3rd set of eggs. This last batch grew to good feeder size then turned black one by one. I also was super clean with them. Not sure why keep dying.

How many are you putting in a container? When they start to get feeder size it's best to give them as much room as possible.

 

[Sharon12]

How many are you putting in a container? When they start to get feeder size it's best to give them as much room as possible.

I have about 100 together. Maybe i should split them up

 

[isa.bella]

Hi CamoChameleonsHuman,
I know this post is a bit old, but I cannot find any other page is related, so, if you don't mind, I will like to keep posting here.

I am in Sydney, it is October (spring) now. I have a six years old dwarf mulberry tree. I bought 30 silk worms three weeks ago.
I keep them in two separated plastic boxes with normal A4 paper underneath them, clean up everyday.
I feed them a lot and they eat a lot. They are now 9+ cm long, TOO BIG! And they will not cocoon. They move very slow. Looks like their lower body doesn't talk to the upper body. The lower body just don't want to move.

I have similar issues before, and eventually they all died. In those days, I took (stole) leaves from other people's tree (their branches hanged out from the fence). I thought they may have sprayed the leaves, that's why all silkworms died. But now, I owned the tree, it is clean.

Any idea why they will not cocoon?
Thanks for helping.

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi CamoChameleonsHuman,
I know this post is a bit old, but I cannot find any other page is related, so, if you don't mind, I will like to keep posting here.

I am in Sydney, it is October (spring) now. I have a six years old dwarf mulberry tree. I bought 30 silk worms three weeks ago.
I keep them in two separated plastic boxes with normal A4 paper underneath them, clean up everyday.
I feed them a lot and they eat a lot. They are now 9+ cm long, TOO BIG! And they will not cocoon. They move very slow. Looks like their lower body doesn't talk to the upper body. The lower body just don't want to move.

I have similar issues before, and eventually they all died. In those days, I took (stole) leaves from other people's tree (their branches hanged out from the fence). I thought they may have sprayed the leaves, that's why all silkworms died. But now, I owned the tree, it is clean.

Any idea why they will not cocoon?
Thanks for helping.

Afraid I have no idea, but I’m not even close to an expert. I recently put aside about 50+ to cocoon and only about half of them actually did. I suspected that maybe the humidity had something to do with it...too high. Although ambient humidity is around 40%, the moisture of their food (I use chow), poop and the excreted stomach contents of those that did cocoon probably raised the humidity in the little bin I keep them in. I too kept them very clean, but poop happened. Maybe try making sure they have really good air circulation.

 

[isa.bella]

Humidity is pretty low here, between 30-60. And indoor temperature between 18-26 C.
I put lid on at night to avoid them drying up.
I will clean the box more often then. Lets see if they can survive.
Thanks

 

[MissSkittles]

Humidity is pretty low here, between 30-60. And indoor temperature between 18-26 C.
I put lid on at night to avoid them drying up.
I will clean the box more often then. Lets see if they can survive.
Thanks

Have you provided something for them to cocoon on/in? I use toilet paper or paper towel tubes cut into about 3-4” segments.

 

[isa.bella]

They are not ready yet. They haven't produced any silk and the body is not yellowish.