Silkworm to silk moth

JoXie411

Chameleon Enthusiast
This is my first time trying to raise any insect. I have 8 silk caccons, some caccons are yellow/red, are they alive still or dead? I hear noises and movement but they have t come out yet. Some have been this way for a week now
 

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Cocoons* They usually take 10-15 days to emerge from the cocoons. If they are red like yours look, then the moth has emerged and may not have been able to make it out of the cocoon. Open it up. The red stuff is called meconium, its the big "poop" that insects take after completing metamorphosis.
Source: I'm an entomologist at a University and I raise silkworms
 
I had this yesterday with my cocoons as well, I cut holes so the moths could emerge. They're now busy mating and laying eggs. Good luck!
 
Laying eggs inside??
The three females died and lied eggs inside
 

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Laying eggs inside??
The three females died and lied eggs inside
I had that happen too with one of my females, I'm assuming she laid unfertilized eggs inside because she got stuck in there and I didn't cut the hole in time.
 
Do you have to cut them out? I have 4 cocoons and yesterday I saw one of them come out. Waiting for the other 3. If I see red I should cut it open?
Thanks
 
Hey guys how are you cutting them out? I have 10 cocoons now with no sign of red or brown but it would be great to hear how yall did this in case I need to. :)
 
I'm using a sewing seam ripper to gently rip a tiny hole in one end, then using a pair in small scissors to very carefully cut an opening big enough for the moth to squeeze out.
 
yea im assuming they're unfertilized eggs im no entomologist but i did work at a butterfly house for a few years! moths are great but they're finicky and lay eggs everywhere lol
 
I woke up to lots and lots of eggs this morning! I still have 3 cocoons/moths waiting to emerge, but the rest seem to be winding down. I wish they didn't have such short little lives. They're so cool, I really love them.
 
@Beman do be warned about them pooping; I got sprayed with meconium twice yesterday helping two of my moths out of their cocoons, it's pretty gross. (Wow, 3 months ago I would never have imagined I'd be typing something like that, lol) :-D
 
@Beman do be warned about them pooping; I got sprayed with meconium twice yesterday helping two of my moths out of their cocoons, it's pretty gross. (Wow, 3 months ago I would never have imagined I'd be typing something like that, lol) :-D
Ewww noooo. Ok that is not something I am looking forward to. I really think this may be my first and last time breeding LOL> I now have a dang incubator set up as well for the new silks I got. The place we moved into the downstairs where everything is at stays cold because all the heat goes up. So the ambient air was only about 65 degrees. :( The bugs are freaking taking over. LOL

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Ewww noooo. Ok that is not something I am looking forward to. I really think this may be my first and last time breeding LOL> I now have a dang incubator set up as well for the new silks I got. The place we moved into the downstairs where everything is at stays cold because all the heat goes up. So the ambient air was only about 65 degrees. :( The bugs are freaking taking over. LOL

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That's funny! I cant wait for summer, I need more bugs! I just ordered some bug field guides, a collection net, and a book on entomology. I also added a wire rack to my bug room.

One of my hornworms has pupated... He's going to be one lonely moth. I tried feeding the rest of the hornworms off to the chickens since they usually eat EVERYTHING, but they looked at them like "Uh, no!" I think they were maybe too big?
 
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