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Monday 4 July 2011

Worm Alert!

I thought one of my silkworms was ready to pupate this morning (panic panic).  Apparently when they are ready to make a cocoon they exude a gel-like droplet from their tail end, and one of mine had some orangey-yellow stuff at the back end.  Half an hour later though it had disappeared - false alarm probably.  They still have another skin-change to go through before then.

This is how big they are now :-


They are changing as they get bigger and their heads are becoming more bulbous now.  I had to split them up again this morning, they are now in five containers.

Here are a few photos taken of the countryside around our house the other evening :-











Sorry about the boring flowers - I just like taking photos of flowers, especially wild ones.

4 comments:

  1. They've really grown! How exciting that they're nearly ready for the next stage! I keep saying how exciting all this silk worm business is but it really is!

    How did you find out all about how to raise them? Is there a good book or a resource on the internet that you'd recommend or did you pick up everything you need to know from the person you got the eggs from?

    I love your flower pictures... I like taking flower photos too, especially wild flowers. You have to make the most of it while they're about! :)

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  2. Hi Kate,

    I got most of the instructions from Worldwide Butterflies website www.wwb.com but if you Google silkworms there's quite a lot of information on the internet.

    You really need a mulberry tree though - I got my seeds from Chilterns in Ulverston, although it's taken 8 years for my tree to reach the size it is now.

    I think they're exciting too. I bought the black and white striped ones because I didn't know how I'd cope with white grubs. But they're actually quite cute!

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  3. Thanks for the link! I'll check out that website and see what else is out there on the internet.

    I agree that the thought of white grubs is a bit off-putting... the stripy versions are much friendlier looking :)

    Ulverston is just down the road from me! I'll start looking into the mulberry tree situation. I think its fantastic that you grew yours from seed!

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  4. Yes, I thought you must be near Ulverston. I used to live in Stainton, and when we visit we stay with friends in Ulverston.

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