Experiment

[nhblond]

I am trying something..... I took the waxworm container out of the fridge to check on them. I had two that are brown (not black) and they are kind of hard. So, I took a small plastic bowl, put some oatmeal and wheat germ in the bottom, mixed a dollop of honey in one section, then added two yellow waxworms and the two brown ones. I put a small square of screen on top, and I am keeping them out of the fridge at room temperature. I am curious if I will get any moths??? It's worth a try, so that I can give them to my hunger striking 2-3 month old cham.

 

[carol5208]

From what I understand the wax worms when the pupate are hard and brown but I thought they had to spin a cocoon from what I have read. It takes 1-2 weeks then for them to turn into moths. I also read they need a temp of like 85 degrees to pupate. I don't think they would have done that in the refrigerator but I could be wrong. I would put the container under a light and see if you can get them to cocoon. I could be wrong on the cocooning thing cause I know the phoenix worms just hatch out without cocooning but they are of course two different types of worms.

 

[Affordable Exotics]

They should turn in a couple weeks....

If they are brown,hard and plump then they are cacooned. If they are black,squishy and stink....no dice! A lot of times they go into transformation before you get them and when you throw them in the fridge it just slows them down drastically. If they stay in the fridge a while then they die kinda like a stillborn death. And 75 is enough for them, I have them change over at my store alot at room temp. Give them 2 - 4 weeks and your sweaters will be in danger.... Lol
Good luck,
JJ

 

[nhblond]

judging by what they look like, the process described online, and what affordable exotics just said.... I really think they might be cacooned. Nothing to lose, so will leave them the way I have them and see what happens. I wonder how different the process is for the reptiworms to turn into soldier flies? Do you know?

 

[jdog1027]

Soldier flies will turn super hard and very dark. They appear to be dead. Don't throw 'em out because the first ones I ever had pupated and I just set the cup aside and about 3 weeks later I had Soldier flies swarming around the light in my laundry room. The waxworms have pupated if they are a light tan or brown. If you poke at them they will somewhat move, that will tell you they are alive if you are somewhat confused as to whether they are dead or alive.