sueb4653
Well-known member
My silkworms have started to coccoon yaaaa
oops this should be in other sorry
oops this should be in other sorry
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Coccoons
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frogparty
Well-known member
I have both cocooning as well. A lot of my silkworms died while I was on vacation though, gross. I still have a dozen or so to breed though.
sueb4653
Well-known member
don't if I'll breed as I dont have an incubator for the small eggs
the eggs can be diapaused in the fridge
or send some my way so i can rear them, my fbts could use the extra nutrients B)
sueb4653
Well-known member
I can send to you but you will have to tell me what to do to get them to breed
Oh that's simple leave all the adult moths in the same cage and the females attract the males and they'll mate real easily
sueb4653
Well-known member
yea and what about the eggs are they easy to see what do they lay on etc etc
sueb4653
Well-known member
ok once the cats hatch into moths I will move them to a bigger container with lots of leaves and such should be able to collect easily then
put mated females in paper bags
they r saturniids, they lay eggs almost everywhere...
sueb4653
Well-known member
so is there a particular time that they mate how do you know that they have mated without sitting and watching 24/7
sorry I dont know much about them
sorry I dont know much about them
patrickfraser
Well-known member
What I did with my moths was once they paired up, I put the pair in a small "portion cup" with a piece of paper towel covering the top before snapping on the lid. This I place upside down and let them mate for as long as they like. When I see that the male has disconnected, he gets removed. Now you're left with an egg laying machine that has a small area to lay her eggs. Once the eggs are laid (They only have one load) I will feed off the female and leave the eggs on the paper towel in the portion cup. When the eggs turn from yellow to grey/purple they get placed in the refrigerator in the container for diapause for about a month, but can stay for up to six if I am not mistaken. There is paper towel coming out past the lid and I will give a spritz of water and this will be drawn into the cup to keep them moist and from drying out. I write the egg laying date and "in fridge" date on the cups and use the "first in, first out" method. Just take out the portion cup and you have a batch to hatch in their own little "incubator". The best place to store these in the refrigerator is on the door. I keep mine in the egg compartment. :lol: You don't want to possibly freeze the if your refrigerator gets too cold.
frogparty
Well-known member
great advice! Thank you!
sueb4653
Well-known member
great information thank you
patrickfraser
Well-known member
sueb4653
Well-known member
How long do they coccoon for?
patrickfraser
Well-known member
They will stay in for about 2-3 weeks and emerge ready to go. The males go crazy around a female about to emerge. They smell her before she even gets out.
It is important not to disturb them while spinning. I think it is like 48 hours, but I wait longer, before you could move them.
It is important not to disturb them while spinning. I think it is like 48 hours, but I wait longer, before you could move them.
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sueb4653
Well-known member
you can move the coccoons?
