Ambilobe70
Member
Four of the remaining worms were firm and active when touched. So I pull them and gave them some chow.
Storing silkworm eggs ?
- Thread starter Greenhorn
- Start date
Firewallx
Established Member
@Ambilobe70 The elaborate patterns on the worms you featured in the first set of pictures don't mean anything as some silkworms have more markings than others in the 2-4th instars.
HOWEVER, the picture of the dying ones in the box with the egg carton is definitely a disease. I think either flacherie or grasserie.
I really hope your remaining worms aren't infected.
I also wanted to suggest for future rearing attempts that you could use something like gutter guard to 'net up' the silkworms. This allows the poop to fall beneath the grid, keeping the worms out of their poop. I find it helpful, and I've seen a lot of people mention using it.
HOWEVER, the picture of the dying ones in the box with the egg carton is definitely a disease. I think either flacherie or grasserie.
I really hope your remaining worms aren't infected.
I also wanted to suggest for future rearing attempts that you could use something like gutter guard to 'net up' the silkworms. This allows the poop to fall beneath the grid, keeping the worms out of their poop. I find it helpful, and I've seen a lot of people mention using it.
Last edited:
ehdee6
Chameleon Enthusiast
I don't have anything to add other than I'm loving the sharing and learning of this thread... I also didn't know I was supposed to put the living container for silkies and hornworms upside down of the food to separate the poop. 
... Explains some of the die off in my keeping of them.
... Explains some of the die off in my keeping of them.Ambilobe70
Member
I just saw gutter guard suggested as a cocooning media as well, so I had already ordered some. I will use that for my larger worms on the next run. I had been using plastic needlepoint fabric and it worked until this last week, when the poop got too big to go through.
As I understand it, once the first worms get sick, all you can do is move the seemingly healthy ones into new, sterile containers and hope, correct? My last 4 dwindled to 2 yesterday and this AM, those 2 are dead, so I'm out of worms until I either have eggs laid from the cocooned ones, or I buy more.
Are the worms safe once they cocoon from these diseases, or could I be looking at 36 dead cocoons also?
Ambilobe70
Member
I looked up those diseases (and others in silkworms) and I can say with confidence it was Flacherie. The symptoms match my situation exactly, from cause to behavior to appearance.
Ambilobe70
Member
Final update to my 2026 silkworm experiment. I had (as of this AM) 11 moths emerge over the past week, 3ish weeks after they started cocooning. Every single one has been female. So I have a tote of lonely girls slowly dying off. I started with 36 cocoons in total, though at least 10 of those weren't 'complete' so I never expected them to pupate. I'll leave everything setup and see if any more moths emerge and hope that some lucky dude pops out, but I'm not confident.
So now I need to buy some eggs (ideally diapaused) so I can hatch them in small batches over the winter. Does anyone have ideas of who to reach out to? Oregon silkworm said I can store their eggs for 4-6 weeks in the fridge, but I need true diapaused eggs so I can hatch a dozen per week for the next (horrible) 5 months of cold when I can't get eggs mailed to me. Coastal is out of stock on everything and would only do the diapaused eggs if I bought 2000 or more.
So now I need to buy some eggs (ideally diapaused) so I can hatch them in small batches over the winter. Does anyone have ideas of who to reach out to? Oregon silkworm said I can store their eggs for 4-6 weeks in the fridge, but I need true diapaused eggs so I can hatch a dozen per week for the next (horrible) 5 months of cold when I can't get eggs mailed to me. Coastal is out of stock on everything and would only do the diapaused eggs if I bought 2000 or more.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Try: https://www.educationalscience.com/reptile-supplies
www.mulberryfarms.com/silkworm-eggs-c23/
Afaik, those are the primary, possibly only sources for eggs. There is Carolina Biological, but they sell only very small quantities, like 25 eggs. You could take a chance and check with silkworm sellers, like https://www.beastmodesilks-west.com/shop or maybe @FramsChams can help you out. I would have happily sent you some eggs, but I ended up with only about 20 cocoons and so far, it looks like I only have 3 females plus one that has to be female, but refuses to hook up with a male. My males are going crazy spinning around, flapping their wings looking for a girl.
www.mulberryfarms.com/silkworm-eggs-c23/
Afaik, those are the primary, possibly only sources for eggs. There is Carolina Biological, but they sell only very small quantities, like 25 eggs. You could take a chance and check with silkworm sellers, like https://www.beastmodesilks-west.com/shop or maybe @FramsChams can help you out. I would have happily sent you some eggs, but I ended up with only about 20 cocoons and so far, it looks like I only have 3 females plus one that has to be female, but refuses to hook up with a male. My males are going crazy spinning around, flapping their wings looking for a girl.
Ambilobe70
Member
I lied. The moths are all MALES, not females. I found better pictures online and they clearly are the male variety.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
For some reason I always end up with mostly males. The extras make nice treats for my chameleons, although I do feel bad for the pretty little moths. I tried to find info on how to sex them when they are still caterpillars, but there’s not much out there. I did find one thing that offered some info and tried to sex them and not sure if it worked or it was just luck of the draw. Will see if I can find that again.
