Wild Silkworms

[Reed7786]

Hello,

I'm guessing this will be ok, but figured I'd ask. I live in MI and there are tons of silkworms all over the trees all the time, are these the same ones that mulberry sells, there usually like black with some white stripes..

dont have any pics, but i know there silkworms by the huge silk nests they make, anyways couldn't find any other posts about wild ones so any feed back is appreciated.

 

[pssh]

I believe there is no such thing as a wild silkworm.

 

[Reed7786]

thats what i was getting from looking around, i dont see how that makes any sense, not like we made them in a lab so there wild somewhere, and like i said there everywhere here...unless there some different worm that spins silk...

 

[ChamOh]

could it be a NE thing? I see those nests everywhere too! always thought they were silkworms as well..

or maybe they aren't really "silkworms" but it's a colloquial name for these critters? I've never actually seen the worms, just the massive nests.

 

[coryjohnson]

I live in ontario Canada. We have these things, i know them as tent catippilers. they make a "cocoon" like thing in the trees, could be what your seeing.

But a good general rule to go by is to NEVER feed wild prey to your captive friends. They could be exposed to pestisides or have desieses (sp) or any number of problems...

if you want to do this i would first find out if they are sutable for your friend and if they are i would capture some and breed them for a couple of generations befour i started to feed them off. this should ensure any undesirable effects will be minimized.

 

[reptoman]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/tent-cattapillars-25673/

This was an old thread about feeding tent worms. We have them in Texas too. They are definitely not wild silk worms. The reason that there are no silkworms in the wild is that they were domesticated by the chinese 2000 years ago. That was the last time they were present in the wild.

After reading a little more it was closer to 5000 years and not 2000.

 

[Nixehface]

I believe there is no such thing as a wild silkworm.

The reason that there are no silkworms in the wild is that they were domesticated by the chinese 2000 years ago. That was the last time they were present in the wild.

After reading a little more it was closer to 5000 years and not 2000.

I used to collect silkworms from our mulberry trees in South Africa and keep them as pets.
That was only 8 years ago and I'm pretty darn sure they were wild!

 

[pssh]

Check the post above yours nixehface.

 

[Nixehface]

Check the post above yours nixehface.

Yes I have but you can get silkworms in S.A
They are ALL OVER the mulberry trees there, I used to pick them off my tree in the garden and keep them in a shoebox and they would then cocoon into lovely white fluffy moths lol

 

[reptoman]

Yes I have but you can get silkworms in S.A
They are ALL OVER the mulberry trees there, I used to pick them off my tree in the garden and keep them in a shoebox and they would then cocoon into lovely white fluffy moths lol

To be specific Bombyx Mori is the domesticated silkworm. Found this interesting article that compares 2 types of silkworms, domestic and wild, and their resistance to pesticides.
http://www.academicjournals.org/ajb/PDF/pdf2010/22Mar/Li et al.pdf

What we buy here for feeders is the Bombyx Mori and they are not available in the wild. The OP is confusing tent worms for silkworms but they are 2 completely different things.

 

[Reed7786]

cool, thanks for the info, ya i haven't really checked them out to much just looked pretty much the same so figured i'd ask.

 

[toddmkeller]

Check the post above yours nixehface.

PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH do some research http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_silk

See ya,

Todd

 

[pssh]

Blah! Sorrrry. I've never read about wild silkies, and my teacher told me there weren't any! I guess you can't trust everything you learn in kindergarten!

 

[toddmkeller]

Blah! Sorrrry. I've never read about wild silkies, and my teacher told me there weren't any! I guess you can't trust everything you learn in kindergarten!

im just messing with you... Lets say this all together

"IF ITS ON THE INTERNET - IT MUST BE TRUE"

LOL!

See ya,

Todd

 

[jrh3]

web worms spin silk like webs

 

[Chamero]

Interesting short vid


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEGhapnqtgs