Day Sixty Nine

Day Fifty Seven, Week 9

We Have Moths!

Fluttery moths, who have wasted no time with moving on, to the next step of ensuring the cycle continues.

As with the hatching of the silkworms, all the action seems to take place around dawn.

Not much happened after about nine this morning.

So...all that work I was going to do, to prepare for the emerging moths, has been delayed because of a four week influenza that eventually developed into bronchitis.

I'm on antibiotics now and I have been feeling a little bit more on top of things for about twenty four hours...thankfully.

Working under pressure now, I removed from the tanks and counted the cocoons.

I cleaned and dried the tanks and then lined them with paper.

One layer of paper is laid out to line the tank.

A smaller piece of paper is used to add a second liner to the bottom of the tank.

Rectangles of paper are added, in the hope that the moths will lay their eggs on these bits of paper making for easier handling.

So far I've got two requests for eggs.  The first is for a small amount.  The second is for  whatever remains.

If you would like to purchase eggs or empty cocoons, do contact me.

Sorry, due to border control, New South Welshman only please.

And, what does six hundred and ninety nine cocoons look like?

Well, this one didn't cocoon...but metamorphosis is still progressing.

As I'm about to publish this post, the first batch of eggs has been laid!

Day Twenty Three

If you listen carefully to this video, you can hear the silkworms eating.

Watch how the silkworm eats the leaf always in the one direction.

About forty silkworms went to a new home today.

Still hundreds in the tanks!

Temperature below 16 oC outdoors.

Heating on indoors, I've got my thermals on and still cold!

Day Nine

The weather over the last two days has been miserable.

On Tuesday, the temperature was around 37oC.  Yesterday it was 15 oC.  A big drop, and this can play havoc with the silkworm larvae.  The poor little things became sluggish and they slowed their eating right down.

In the end I turned the heating on.  Can you believe it?  Less than two weeks to summer and I've got the heating on?

Well, the good news is that the weather is back on track today and the little critters have returned to their active hungry selves.

And I sold my first batch of the silkworms today.  So far I've exchanged about 20, given away about 15 and sold another 20.

The larger of the silkworms is now measuring in at 12mm long and 2mm thick.  And their colour is lightening up to a nice creamy colour.

I've also got a request for some eggs (ova) when they eventuate which I might exchange for a mulberry plant.

I have become quite attached to the little things, I spend around an hour morning and night making sure they have enough fresh leaves and that old leaves are removed.

Of course if there were less, then this would take less time to do.