Growing hornworms...

[forum1983]

Well line I said, this "cage" isn't pretty but it should work just fine. Keep in mind this is outdoors and I live in Southern California so I don't need lights and what not. I made the "cage" out of a piece of redwood fencing, since redwood stands up to the elements better, and I cut them into 1 inch strips. I then made a top and bottom of four pieces of wood each (size is up to you, I made it big enough to slip around my bucket) to create a square frame. One for the top and one for the bottom. Then I decided how high I wanted the "cage" and cut four long upright sticks, I nailed it altogether with finish nails, but use what ever you want. Then I covered the outside with window screen by stapling it to the wooden frame. Make sure all is covered so the moths cannot fly away. And I suggest making your "cage" as high as the size of window screen you got so you don't have to worry about having to patch up a little here and there like I had too. Pretty simple really.

And here is my tomato plant in a bucket. I think I killed it though when I was digging for my cocoons, so lesson learned, do not let the larva dig into the same dirt your tomato plant is in (if you are using a plant that is), make a separate container for the dirt if that is the route you will go.

 

[pumpkinman]

Looks great. Thanks for the pics!
You have basically built a screen terrarium and that's exactly what I plan on using.
Zoomed makes a 2x2x4' (lxwxh) that I think will be perfect!

I wonder if the soil has to be damp? Yours was obviously because you had a plant in it but I wonder about if I didn't use a plant. Would I have to dampen the soil?

Chris

 

[forum1983]

Looks great. Thanks for the pics!
You have basically built a screen terrarium and that's exactly what I plan on using.
Zoomed makes a 2x2x4' (lxwxh) that I think will be perfect!

I wonder if the soil has to be damp? Yours was obviously because you had a plant in it but I wonder about if I didn't use a plant. Would I have to dampen the soil?

Chris

Honestly, damp soil I think would be worse then dry, especially if you don't have a plant needing the water. As long as the dirt isn't hard as a rock it should be good. When I put my larva in my bucket the soil was fairly dry and they had no problem digging down through it. Out of the seven larva that I put in, I dug out six that looked good, one was pretty much liquified. Now I'm just waiting for the moths to come out and I can't wait

 

[pumpkinman]

Ok cool, thanks!

I use a product called promix for my pumpkins. It is a soilless mix of peat, vermiculite and perlite. It's really light and airy and does not compact. I think it may be perfect for them to burrow in!!!!

 

[Honda99300ex]

here is my set up, very simple box method, works alright though. I keep my small tomato plant right up against the screen, all they need is the smell of the plant to lay eggs, which will be ALL OVER the enclosure haha, it's a pain collecting 1,000's of them!!

and outside with "viewing area" closed

view inside the door...I keep live flowers of different kinds along with my sugar-water feeder hanging in the middle.

and through the front screen, notice the moth that just emerged and his wings aren't even inflated yet.

 

[forum1983]

here is my set up, very simple box method, works alright though. I keep my small tomato plant right up against the screen, all they need is the smell of the plant to lay eggs, which will be ALL OVER the enclosure haha, it's a pain collecting 1,000's of them!!

Let me ask you a question. Once the moth starts to hatch from the cocoon how long does it take until they emerge? And is there any signs that you can see on the cocoon that they are ready to hatch?

 

[Vermundor]

Would any of you happen to know if I could place a tomato plant underneath a small cardboard box in the terrarium for a few days? Would that work?

 

[forum1983]

Would any of you happen to know if I could place a tomato plant underneath a small cardboard box in the terrarium for a few days? Would that work?

I don't see why not, just as long as your beardie cannot get to the plant to eat the leaves or any other part of the plant. It might not get enough light if you construct it the way the project tells you too, perhaps cut a hole in the top of the box and cover with screen so light can get down in the box.

 

[Vermundor]

Would any of you happen to know if I could place a tomato plant underneath a small cardboard box in the terrarium for a few days? Would that work?

I don't see why not, just as long as your beardie cannot get to the plant to eat the leaves or any other part of the plant. It might not get enough light if you construct it the way the project tells you too, perhaps cut a hole in the top of the box and cover with screen so light can get down in the box.

I was thinking more of placing it in the moth terrarium enclosure so they would lay the eggs on the outside of the box. Would that work?

 

[forum1983]

I was thinking more of placing it in the moth terrarium enclosure so they would lay the eggs on the outside of the box. Would that work?

So if I understand you right, you want to place a plant in a box and place that box in your moth box? Then your moths would lay eggs on the inside of their box and on the outside of the plant box?

If so, then yes. You shouldn't have a problem with that, as long as the plant box has holes cut in it and covered with screen so the moths can't get to the plant but can still smell the tomato plant there. Also the outside, moth box, would need a window cut in it and covered with screen for ventilation.

 

[Honda99300ex]

here is my set up, very simple box method, works alright though. I keep my small tomato plant right up against the screen, all they need is the smell of the plant to lay eggs, which will be ALL OVER the enclosure haha, it's a pain collecting 1,000's of them!!

Let me ask you a question. Once the moth starts to hatch from the cocoon how long does it take until they emerge? And is there any signs that you can see on the cocoon that they are ready to hatch?

There are really no signs that I have noticed, just a lot of patience with these guys. It's not as easy as it seems, took me a few runs before I figured out what worked best, and had some help.from a friend. But as far as how long, I happened to look in as one was emerging, and it was just seconds after it broke the cocoon shell, and the nasty poop stuff goes everywhere, its best if you line the bottom of your enclosure with paper towels,.they kinda make a mess.

 

[Shoulon]

Is that paint looking splatter up the box wall the mess they make? o.o

 

[Honda99300ex]

Is that paint looking splatter up the box wall the mess they make? o.o

haha, yep, that's just some of it lol...they are very messy ,kinda weird haha

 

[Screamin99]

What does your setup look like for keeping them? My dragon LOVES hornworms.. He will flip out at the very sight of them. Can you take pictures of the dirt and container?

What do you plan to do with the moths when they come out of their cocoons?

 

[Honda99300ex]

a few eggs...