silkworm ready for spinning?
- Thread starter petkel
- Start date
How to know when silkworms start spinning
In the 5th instar after 7 day olds (Depend on temp and food); silkworms start to spin their cocoons.
How to know when they start spinning
After 3 days of spinning, silkworms turn in to pupas inside their cocoons. Pickup cocoons shake and listen to the moving sound inside. If you can heard or feel something bouncing against the cocoon's walls then it is a pupa inside.
If you want to use them at feeder for your pets, keep the cocoons (when they all turn in to pupas inside) in your refrigerator. Use sharp knife cut off cocoons and take pupas out and serve your pets. You should not wait until they turn into moths and serve your pet. Because Pupas are more nutritious. There is nothing in moths. Some countries, such as Vietnam and China, they eat pupas.
In the 5th instar after 7 day olds (Depend on temp and food); silkworms start to spin their cocoons.
How to know when they start spinning
- Stop eating.
- Entire body become shiny and kind of clear
- Move to the edge of the tray (or container) and spin out silk
After 3 days of spinning, silkworms turn in to pupas inside their cocoons. Pickup cocoons shake and listen to the moving sound inside. If you can heard or feel something bouncing against the cocoon's walls then it is a pupa inside.
If you want to use them at feeder for your pets, keep the cocoons (when they all turn in to pupas inside) in your refrigerator. Use sharp knife cut off cocoons and take pupas out and serve your pets. You should not wait until they turn into moths and serve your pet. Because Pupas are more nutritious. There is nothing in moths. Some countries, such as Vietnam and China, they eat pupas.
It takes 10 to 14 days to become moths.
I knew that human eats pupa, birds eat pupa so I think there is no problem with reptile
I have kept cocoons in fridge up to 15 days they are still OK. But I do not know the max limitation.
You can test buy cutting out 2 pupa per day to find out the limiation
ladysilkworm
Established Member
Specifically, you remove the pupa at the 5th day since it's cocoon has formed.
This is when the pupae is most complete and FRESHEST.
They can store in the fridge in 5 degree centigrade or about 40 degrees F for up to 30 days...
I know this because this info came straight from the pupae processing plant that sell thousands of fresh pupae to koi keepers.
