Silkworms eat dandelion leaves

[sandrachameleon]

I had picked too many dandelion leaves yesterday, so I tossed a few extra leaves in with some of the baby silkworms. I noticed later in the day that they had eaten the leaves. When later offered the choice between dandelion and chow, some choose the leaves over the chow! Gave them more chow this morning and didnt see any tragic results from their eating the dandelion yesterday. Thought I'd share this in case anyone runs out of chow and is looking for a temporary substitute (carrot also works).

S

 

[Jason4045]

Interesting! I ran out of chow with my last batch and used carrots for a few days, then back to chow without issues. I'd bet they would eat most leafy greens if you were really in a pinch.

BTW... Are you getting your chow "pre-made" or are you getting the powder and making it yourself? I would like to make it myself as it is cheaper, yet don't know if its worth them mess and time.

Jay-

 

[Champhibians]

Easy as can be to make chow. add water to the powder mix it and throw it in the micro, stir, back in the micro, and stir and your done.

 

[yoza717]

I would like to make it myself as it is cheaper, yet don't know if its worth them mess and time.

Jay-

It is so easy to make....if you have a nice big microwave safe bowl.
I have a large corningware casarole dish with cover. So I mix, heat and cool all in one bowl. Then just take a knife and cut like brownies and take a day's serving size wrap in saran wrap.

Just one bowl, one knife and one spatula to clean.

 

[Jason4045]

I just saw the stove top/microwave cooking part in the intstuctions and it made me think.... I can cook no problems, I just don't need to make a huge mess of the kitchen and stink up the house and get an ear full for it, ya know. The chow has an odor to it that some may actualy hate, I infact have grown kinda fond of the smell of chow.

 

[Champhibians]

Chow smells, I dont even smell it anymore. The micro is the way to go then you dont have to clean up after it.

 

[SSimsswiSS]

Chow smell

I become the most un-popular person in my household when the time for making silk and hornworm chow comes around. They don't know how lucky they are that I have a giant mulberry tree with leaves 7 months out of the year.

Good to know dandelion leaves can be used as a temporary sub..

 

[Ricardo]

can u tell what is the exact (scientific) name of dandelion they ate?!

 

[sandrachameleon]

Its VERY easy to make the chow. I do it in very small batches every other day. Put a few tablespoons in a bowl. Add a little boiling water. Stir. Dont want it to be too wet - if it is, add more powder.
done.

Ricardo, it was Taraxacum officinale, specifically I believe Taraxacum officinale ssp. ceratophorum (Ledeb.)

 

[panthercrazy]

Chow smells, I dont even smell it anymore. The micro is the way to go then you dont have to clean up after it.

I prefer the smell of silk chow over making horn chow....now that smell still gets me! But gotta feed the feed well to feed it off lol what a mouthful that was...

 

[Ricardo]

Its VERY easy to make the chow. I do it in very small batches every other day. Put a few tablespoons in a bowl. Add a little boiling water. Stir. Dont want it to be too wet - if it is, add more powder.
done.

Ricardo, it was Taraxacum officinale, specifically I believe Taraxacum officinale ssp. ceratophorum (Ledeb.)

nice that plant is avalible in Hungary too in huge numbers at springtime btw, what do you keep your silkworms in? can anyone post some pictures? I just recieved 250 eggs with a little chow...so any input would be appreciated

greetings!

R.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I use three to six (depending on number of eggs) small plastic containers (such as sour cream or yogurt or takeaway food come in. Dont usually bother with lids, as the worms have no interest in going far from the food. I put a piece of pwper towel on the bottom. I put little lumps of food in the middle or squished to the sides of the containers.

 

[Ricardo]

I use three to six (depending on number of eggs) small plastic containers (such as sour cream or yogurt or takeaway food come in. Dont usually bother with lids, as the worms have no interest in going far from the food. I put a piece of pwper towel on the bottom. I put little lumps of food in the middle or squished to the sides of the containers.

I will try thanks!

 

[sandrachameleon]

They grow fine eating dandelion

Where I live, Dandelion is a weed in my backyard. One that I allow to grow excessively in one corner of the vegetable area. So I always, all year, have a ready source of free leaves to use as a gutload.

As mentioned above, I found silkworms eat dandelion leaves.

So I did a little experiment. For one of the containers in which I have silkworms growing (I buy eggs), I started feeding them dandelion instead of chow every other feeding. This began after the silkies were a couple weeks old, and continues.

All the other containers of silkies have been fed exclusively chow. But this one container gets dandelion every other time, usually the evening feed, when the others get another couple chunks of chow. And there is no appreciable difference between those eating exclusively chow and those eating dandelion fully half the time. Silkies are growing at the same rate either way.

This is going to save me a fair bit of money and time, as from now on I plan to feed my silkworms half chow, half dandelion. I'll be purchasing at least a third less powdered chow. I'll be cooking a third less chow. I think this is Great!

 

[sandrachameleon]

BTW - they also happily eat grape vine leaves and many other leaves.
although it seems best to give them mulberry based food at least 50% of the time, there's lots of choices for mixing up your gutloading of silkworms

 

[Hoj]

Very good to know I have given them bug buger afew times with no ill effects as well..

 

[Firewallx]

So it"s safe to feed them leaves even if they are currently eating chow? I might want to give mine mulberry leaves, if I can find the plants. I just learned that there are some trees in the neighbourhood. I wasn't sure if they could interchange between leaves and chow or they have to stick to one or the other?

 

[Beman]

So it"s safe to feed them leaves even if they are currently eating chow? I might want to give mine mulberry leaves, if I can find the plants. I just learned that there are some trees in the neighbourhood. I wasn't sure if they could interchange between leaves and chow or they have to stick to one or the other?

This is a really old thread so I thought I would respond. Typically silks that are raised on chow will not successfully move to mulberry leaves and vice versa. I would order some silk worm chow.

 

[Firewallx]

Thank you for your answer. I appreciate that you took the time.

 

[Bush baby]

Seen mine eating carrots.