Sorry - probably last photo before they start to spin their cocoons. They must be getting pretty close now. They're eating like crazy at the moment - every time I look at them they're sitting on top of totally shredded leaves looking for more. My poor mulberry tree has taken a real battering and is only just keeping up with them.
This is the poor tree which started sprouting over a month ago, and still doesn't have a decent sized leaf on it, because as soon as they grow I pick them off! It's not exactly a huge tree yet, only 8 years, planted from a seed.
I think it'll breathe a huge sigh of relief when they start to pupate! Speaking of which - I'm ready for them! Yesterday I created their cocooning box and tried it out for size.
(oops - I lied about the first pic being the last one of silkworms!)
There are more than enough half toilet roll inners for each silkworm to cocoon in, but what do you bet they all want the same one?
This is the poor tree which started sprouting over a month ago, and still doesn't have a decent sized leaf on it, because as soon as they grow I pick them off! It's not exactly a huge tree yet, only 8 years, planted from a seed.
I think it'll breathe a huge sigh of relief when they start to pupate! Speaking of which - I'm ready for them! Yesterday I created their cocooning box and tried it out for size.
(oops - I lied about the first pic being the last one of silkworms!)
There are more than enough half toilet roll inners for each silkworm to cocoon in, but what do you bet they all want the same one?
Hi, can you tell me if your cocoon motel as pictured above worked out in the end? We have a very high population of silk worms and are struggling to separate the ones that want to cocoon and those that aren't ready. I think we have 10 shoe boxes on the go at the moment
ReplyDeleteYes, it did work. The silkworms crawled up when they were ready to cocoon. As I thought though, sometimes there was more than one in each tube, and they did like to go in between the tubes. I did keep a piece of cardboard over the top of the box just in case any wanted to escape!
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