Slowing Horn Worm Growth

yes, I have read about refrigerating them, but I like my milk & beer COLD, so the 'fridge is out of the question.

no, I'm not buying a wine cooler for some stoopid worms! :rolleyes:

My question, that I haven't found the answer to yet, is -
Has anyone tried limiting their light cycle?

I'm still new to this whole taking care of bugs deal.
And if someone had told me two months ago that I would be buying roaches online and spending time each day feeding crickets, various "worms" and roaches, I would have thought them insane.

But, back to topic.
When I get horn worms they are in the cup with the premade food at one end.
Usually a dozen or so in the cup.
They grow faster than I care to feed them all to the new kid.

SO, I'm wondering if cutting the worm's day shorter with fewer daylight hours might slow their growth.
Less light = less eating = less growth??
Has anyone tried this?

Also FYI, if the premade food runs out, horn worms seem quite content eating yellow squash & zucchini.
 
I put mine on ice packs. Literally one tupperwear holds the two hard plastic packs and then I drop in a second tupperware on top of the ice packs and set the pod in on top so that the pod is not directly touching the packs this way. I cycle them on and off the packs. I was doing 1-2 days on then 1 day off so they don't die. I did have lid with the holes facing up and food down on the tupperwear. Cools to about 55-60 degrees. Worked well for me to slow the growth rate.
 
I keep them in my basement which has ambient temps around 60-65 in summer, and 55 in winter. That helps a lot. Theyre also almost alwYs in the dark down there, so im not sure how that affects them.

I believe food has a lot to do with it, as do temps. In the cup, they have unlimited access to food. All they do is eat, sleep, poop. With silkworms, Ive had much success with removing the food and regulating their intake. I give them a chunk of food that will last a day or two, and then I wait a day or two to feed again. Silks have gone up to a week without food (accidents and free rangers)... so i think the hornworms can handle a day without food, then a day with food, etc.
 
I keep them inside a good size lunch pale with frozen water bottles inside and switch out the bottles in the mornings and before bed. By the time I switch them out in the afternoon the bottles are thawed down and warm giving the worms some warm time they seem to last a decent while just end up running out of food before feeding off lol
 
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