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  1. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Silk Worm Rearing and Breeding part 3'

    I feed them the commercial silk worm chow which is basically made from dried mulberry leaves. I also feed them shaved carrots and greens, however they will not survive long without some mulberry in their diet. They need the chow or fresh leaves or they will die eventually.
  2. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm Moth set up and care'

    I havent fed them these moths yet as my boys were not big enough, they do love silk moths though. I have seen others feed the moths to adult panthers and large chameleons.
  3. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm pupating'

    I haven't tried with newly hatched worms, but I have raised them from about an inch on with just veggies.
  4. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Snails'

    Great info. I'm finding them to be an interesting addition to my insect breeding projects. Have you thought a about adding springtails to the soil to help keep it clean? I have them in my isopod tank, but not the snails. I did notice last weekend while cleaning the snail tank that the soil was...
  5. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm pupating'

    I have some that look the same up until they emerge. But I have noticed others that get much darker in color days before they come out.
  6. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm pupating'

    Congrats! I hope you successfully get some moths and eggs.
  7. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm Moth set up and care'

    They usually live for about a week.
  8. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm Moth set up and care'

    I have had them lay on other plants in the past. They just seem to lay more when its a tomato plant.
  9. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Silk Worm Rearing and Breeding part 3'

    They are big, stop eating, and you can start to see the vein on their back pulsating. When they start to spin they do expel liquids.
  10. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Which came first, the Hornworm or the egg?'

    I added a link for the gutter guard.
  11. Silk Worm Rearing and Breeding part 3

    Silk Worm Rearing and Breeding part 3

    Now that you have silk worm moths you may wonder what to do next. The moths cannot fly and do not eat. They have been bred for silk for thousands of years and the wings have become vestigial. The males tend to me much smaller than the females, but with larger wings. The females will be much...
  12. Silk Worm Rearing and Breeding part 2

    Silk Worm Rearing and Breeding part 2

    Once the silk worms are full grown it is time to think about allowing them to cocoon. At this point I usually separate the ones I plan to keep for breeding and put them in a larger container that is set up for breeding. For this stage I use a sterilite 56Qt (53L) plastic tub. I have cut holes...
  13. Silk Worm Rearing and Breeding part 1

    Silk Worm Rearing and Breeding part 1

    I begin with the silk worm, as most of you will start with worms ordered from various suppliers. When you receive the silk worms they are typically housed in a deli cup or “pod”. As silkworms have a low immune system you must be very careful with cleanliness and moisture. The pods are not ideal...
  14. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Transferring Hornworms for long term care'

    I added the link for the gutter guard to the blog.
  15. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm pupating'

    I have incorporated new information I have discovered regarding lighting. A longer day cycle is required to avoid pupae going in to diapause.
  16. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm Moth set up and care'

    Unfortunately you cannot save them. They cannot be stored in the refrigerator like silk worm eggs. They should be kept at room temp. And will hatch in 3-5 days. I try to find friends to share with when I have tons.
  17. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm pupating'

    See answers in red below 1) How long do eggs take to hatch from the day their laid? 3-5 days 2) do you mist the eggs daily to keep moist? Do not mist the eggs 3) can you fridge the eggs and save for another time like silkworms? No you cannot 4) whent the hornworms pupae, do you mist the soil...
  18. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm pupating'

    I am going to try it this next round. I have about 35 that just went in to the dirt the other day.
  19. pigglett79

    Comment by 'pigglett79' in 'Hornworm pupating'

    Thank you for the additional info. I will add it to the blog and also give it a try. Do you still mist daily on the paper towels?
  20. Hornworm Moth set up and care

    Hornworm Moth set up and care

    About 3-4 weeks after the hornwoms pupate they will be ready to hatch in to hawk moths. You will want to be sure you have a cage or some other equivalent set up ready. I use a small repti breeze screen cage. I have a stick across the top to tie the humming bird feeder to and I line the walls and...
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