Silkworm journey
- Thread starter redhorse
- Start date
Here are some close-ups..
Pic 3 is cool because you can see the tiny claw on the feet and tiny hairs on picture 5. WOW! Why? maybe to move a little while in the cocoon..
Last pic is for Tail Tuesday.. ha ha
Pic 3 is cool because you can see the tiny claw on the feet and tiny hairs on picture 5. WOW! Why? maybe to move a little while in the cocoon..
Last pic is for Tail Tuesday.. ha ha
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Bin #3
We have moths... WOW! they are so pretty and fluffy looking.
The 1st 1 was from the pupa and I missed the hatching because I went to WALMART.... Ugh!
I looked at the date 4/27 then looked at another one around the same date (5th pic).
I looked into the tub and there was just the hole. I am like where did it go, so checked the lid, other areas and then the neighboring tube. There she was, just chilling.
so it looks like we have 2 females so far.
Cocoon date 4/27 and 4/26 and hatch date will be 5/14 = 18 and 19. You guys and gals are spot on.. Thanks!
Does anyone know if the other morph silkies have different colored moths?
IT IS FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have moths... WOW! they are so pretty and fluffy looking.
The 1st 1 was from the pupa and I missed the hatching because I went to WALMART.... Ugh!
I looked at the date 4/27 then looked at another one around the same date (5th pic).
I looked into the tub and there was just the hole. I am like where did it go, so checked the lid, other areas and then the neighboring tube. There she was, just chilling.
so it looks like we have 2 females so far.
Cocoon date 4/27 and 4/26 and hatch date will be 5/14 = 18 and 19. You guys and gals are spot on.. Thanks!
Does anyone know if the other morph silkies have different colored moths?
IT IS FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Bin #2
We have more moths. I am sharing as I am counting and opening bins.. Maybe I should have done it all first. Sorry!
So we have one already breaking through and another that has the brown liquid (I think someone said it dissolves the silk). cool!
If you look at the one that is already 1/2 way out, there is no brown liquid.
I am a little confused where the liquid comes out from--- the head or butt. If the butt it must turn around in the cocoon.
THEN! On the phone I know of 2 others that have hatched but separated and it only took about 5 minutes before they found each other.
SO fast and interesting at the same time. I was not sure what the male antenna looked like but now I do.. Pic 4 is male.
To much going on today, I have to take a nap and probably miss tons of stuff..
This was edited after looking over pictures..
I am thinking the ones in bin #3 are males since their antennas look similar to the male in bin #2.
I have had larger moths and males and female antenna were much more different in size, so still learning.
We have more moths. I am sharing as I am counting and opening bins.. Maybe I should have done it all first. Sorry!
So we have one already breaking through and another that has the brown liquid (I think someone said it dissolves the silk). cool!
If you look at the one that is already 1/2 way out, there is no brown liquid.
I am a little confused where the liquid comes out from--- the head or butt. If the butt it must turn around in the cocoon.
THEN! On the phone I know of 2 others that have hatched but separated and it only took about 5 minutes before they found each other.
SO fast and interesting at the same time. I was not sure what the male antenna looked like but now I do.. Pic 4 is male.
To much going on today, I have to take a nap and probably miss tons of stuff..
This was edited after looking over pictures..
I am thinking the ones in bin #3 are males since their antennas look similar to the male in bin #2.
I have had larger moths and males and female antenna were much more different in size, so still learning.
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MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Beautiful! I’m going to guess the brown liquid comes from their front ends, but I don’t really know for sure. If that one with the brown spot doesn’t come out soon, you may need to help it along. I use tweezers to gently pull apart the silk fibers and tear a little hole big enough for it to exit. They are usually right there ready to pop out, so be careful if you have to help it out.
Firewallx
Established Member
I was going to say the same thing MissSkittles just said about the one with the brown spot. They secrete a fluid called cocoonase from their mouths to dissolve the cocoon. Other brownish liquids squirt out the other end.
@redhorse, another good way to identify gender is to look at the back end of the moth and see if their is an organ being stuck out. That is the organ that emits pheromones from the females. I'll add a pic.
Also, in response to your question, no the other varieties of bombyx mori still give you whitish to blondish moths.
Congratulations on your moths! They look fabulous!
@redhorse, another good way to identify gender is to look at the back end of the moth and see if their is an organ being stuck out. That is the organ that emits pheromones from the females. I'll add a pic.
Also, in response to your question, no the other varieties of bombyx mori still give you whitish to blondish moths.
Congratulations on your moths! They look fabulous!
It is so hard not to look up info on these but wanted to witness the assistance and help by others.
Thank you for the pictures and sharing knowledge.
This Journey is almost done.. Just need some eggs to hatch and mail off others.
So cool! I was confused as to the gender but when I saw that organ pumping in and out figured it was releasing the pheromones. I currently have only one male and 3 females. I feel like a camera man for NatGeo.
The puzzle is coming to gather.
PLUS! We now have eggs too. So it seems they need to breed quick or breeding can be done quickly to fertilize eggs. I am in SHOCK at how all this is happening.
So as soon as the male comes out he is ready to go. The females pump their organ and the male comes a runnin. My observation is that the female has like a "clasper" or the ability to hold onto the males organ. The male tried to leave multiple times but can't. Crazy!
Then when he does escape he goes right to a different female (guess he doesn't learn his lesson).
THEN!!!! Only a few hours later eggs are being laid. Crazy after crazy after crazy.. I figured a few days would take place.
For those that are going to have moths... Blow a little air at them and their antenna go up.
The males are so active.
Note: none of mine died so my breath can't be that bad. ha ha ha
Thank you for the pictures and sharing knowledge.
This Journey is almost done.. Just need some eggs to hatch and mail off others.
So cool! I was confused as to the gender but when I saw that organ pumping in and out figured it was releasing the pheromones. I currently have only one male and 3 females. I feel like a camera man for NatGeo.
The puzzle is coming to gather.
PLUS! We now have eggs too. So it seems they need to breed quick or breeding can be done quickly to fertilize eggs. I am in SHOCK at how all this is happening.
So as soon as the male comes out he is ready to go. The females pump their organ and the male comes a runnin. My observation is that the female has like a "clasper" or the ability to hold onto the males organ. The male tried to leave multiple times but can't. Crazy!
Then when he does escape he goes right to a different female (guess he doesn't learn his lesson).
THEN!!!! Only a few hours later eggs are being laid. Crazy after crazy after crazy.. I figured a few days would take place.
For those that are going to have moths... Blow a little air at them and their antenna go up.
The males are so active.
Note: none of mine died so my breath can't be that bad. ha ha ha
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Just a little fun with science...
So the one that was stuck for most of the day was a male and the one in the silk-head cocoon (better than Pet Rocks) was female. Not even 2 minutes out and their doing their business.. WOW! So fare these 2 are VERY cute challenged.
Have a wonderful night and a great weekend.
Thanks again for all the support in these changing and birthing times.. ha ha ha
So the one that was stuck for most of the day was a male and the one in the silk-head cocoon (better than Pet Rocks) was female. Not even 2 minutes out and their doing their business.. WOW! So fare these 2 are VERY cute challenged.
Have a wonderful night and a great weekend.
Thanks again for all the support in these changing and birthing times.. ha ha ha
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Persnickety Parson's
Chameleon Enthusiast
Sky puppies!
Firewallx
Established Member
Actually they have interlocking apparatus that hold the pair together. Yeah the males are very active. I noticed that some of them will wander off if not mating. They also slap each other. I haven't read anything about males physically fighting, but I've seen them do it. One time, a male tried to mate another probably thinking it was female. When that didn't work, he just started slapping him on the head.
Sometimes I like to put several males in the box with a new female and see who wins. Could make a competition and have people place bets on it lol!
Sometimes I like to put several males in the box with a new female and see who wins. Could make a competition and have people place bets on it lol!
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
That the two who are cute-challenged have found each other is just too sweet and adorable!Just a little fun with science...
So the one that was stuck for most of the day was a male and the one in the silk-head cocoon (better than Pet Rocks) was female. Not even 2 minutes out and their doing their business.. WOW! So fare these 2 are VERY cute challenged.
Have a wonderful night and a great weekend.
Thanks again for all the support in these changing and birthing times.. ha ha ha
quick update
Pic. 1 So there are way more males being born than females. The males are trying to bred with each other and non-stop moving around. So, I put one (which was going crazy) in a small deli cup. He stopped almost immediately. So all the extra males are separated within a deli cup.
Sorry guys.
Pic #2 and #3. The small deli-cups are going to be the best way to separate and get eggs (same female in both).
Pic #4 The female beat me to putting her in cup. Sneaky!
Pic#5 The 3 amigos that are just chilling and enjoying fresh chow. What slackers---
Pic #6 Here is how I count---- 441 plus what is under her.
Pic. 1 So there are way more males being born than females. The males are trying to bred with each other and non-stop moving around. So, I put one (which was going crazy) in a small deli cup. He stopped almost immediately. So all the extra males are separated within a deli cup.
Sorry guys.
Pic #2 and #3. The small deli-cups are going to be the best way to separate and get eggs (same female in both).
Pic #4 The female beat me to putting her in cup. Sneaky!
Pic#5 The 3 amigos that are just chilling and enjoying fresh chow. What slackers---
Pic #6 Here is how I count---- 441 plus what is under her.
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Very new to all this stuff- I took the picture on the computer and went into edit. There is a pen and taped on that. Then picked out the color and just taped the egg. Repeat over and over and over and change color and repeat over... Maybe someone else can explain better.
This is awesome! JMHO It is always good to take chance and learn something new. One never knows when there is a food shortage, business opportunity, or even getting an educational program in the public/private school system.Thank you for doing this thread! It inspired me to give breeding moths a try for the first time.
Had one male and female going at it today.
Example: I paid about 15 bucks for 500 eggs. I paid 14 bucks twice for food (28
). There were only 40 worms that survived and 1 moth just laid about 500 eggs. What a cycle and possibilities for others, or to bring into the educational system with supplies for science "Life Cycle of a Silkworm" (or life cycle of something else). These are taught in every early elementary science class. It can be reproduced so easily if disease does not wipe things out (even that can be a learning lesson).Everyone here taught me what to do, I just followed their directions and took lots of pictures. This is proof their help is needed. Ta Taaaaaaaaaa!!!! Good job all
Glad you had success with the moths and should have hundreds of eggs by now.
Firewallx-----Thanks for my new word of the week- Cocoonase: "
Cocoonase is a proteolytic enzyme produced by silk moths during adult development and used for softening the end of the cocoon to permit exit of the adult moth. (google)
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