Silk moths ahhhhh help please

[Beman]

Ok so I have a total of 10 cocoons. 5 really large ones and 5 smaller ones. Two of the smaller ones were trying to get out of their cocoons this morning. I had to help cut away a bit of the cocoon and then I got these! But my first question is does small mean males and large mean females? Also do I have to put heat on them? Ambient air temp is about 68-70.

 

[JoXie411]

Yes small ones are male and big female

 

[Beman]

Yes small ones are male and big female

That was what I was afraid of... Do you know how long they live ones they are moths? My bigger ones cocooned days after these two

 

[JoXie411]

The males stay alive longer then the females. I think mine lived 5 days after they came out. All my females died in Cocoons

 

[Beman]

The males stay alive longer then the females. I think mine lived 5 days after they came out. All my females died in Cocoons

Ok well at least I now know first hand what it looks like when they are ready. Did you put a heat lamp on them? Or what was the temp you had?

 

[alphakenc]

Lunch here also........MMMM....Decision Decision....

 

[JoXie411]

I kept mine at Ambien temp

 

[Beman]

I kept mine at Ambien temp

My ambient temp is 68-70 was that about what your were at?

 

[JoXie411]

My ambient temp is 68-70 was that about what your were at?

Yes right about the same

 

[Beman]

Yes right about the same

Thank you hun

 

[Beman]

Ummm so I thought I had two males because they came out of the small cocoons... But do I actually have a male and a female???? And is this them breeding? And why does only one have wings
@Matt Vanilla Gorilla

 

[JoXie411]

Yess!!

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Yup, Male and female, breeding and wings don't always develop well on silkworms due to the years of domestication other factors affecting wing development are conditions when they emerged out of the cocoon, how big they were when the worms cocooned etc.

 

[Beman]

Yup, Male and female, breeding and wings don't always develop well on silkworms due to the years of domestication other factors affecting wing development are conditions when they emerged out of the cocoon, how big they were when the worms cocooned etc.

Yayyyyy Matt I got breeding silks! How long should I leave the food mixture in? I don’t want her to lay eggs on it.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Moths don't eat!

 

[Beman]

Moths don't eat!

LOL I could have sworn you told me sugar water with cotton balls in a peanut butter lid LOL. Or did you mean for the hornworm moth?

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Nope, that will be for hornworm moths. Sorry for the confusion!

 

[Beman]

Nope, that will be for hornworm moths.

I knew you said it was for one of them. I was all proud because I even had a peanut butter jar lid that I washed out last week for it. I am a dork!

 

[salty dog]

I've had some black/grey fertilized eggs for months in ambient temps, are they no good?? How long does it take for them to hatch, how do you get them to hatch??

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

It is ok for freshly laid eggs to sit at room temperature for a few weeks. Then the eggs need to be refrigerated for 2.5 to 3 months. Once you remove them from the refrigerator they hatch within 7 to 11 days.