[Guide] Hornworms and Breeding.

[Shoulon]

Soo I had got a little present at my door last thursday =) I had successfully made Greatlake's food and looked literally 99% same as Rob's =D

When my next Food Shipment come's I'll be making a step by step guide on how to make it.

For now, Item's used.

-Pot
-Kitchen Mixer
-That thing you use to spread icing on cake's.
-Larve Cup's to setup egg's and food.
-Plastic container to store extra food in fridge.

 

[Shoulon]

I successfully got 14 Hornworms to burrow into dirt and begin puptating this last 2 days =D

why they take foreva? =(

 

[forum1983]

I successfully got 14 Hornworms to burrow into dirt and begin puptating this last 2 days =D

why they take foreva? =(

I hope that your cocoons turn out better then mine did. From some advice on this site, I took them out of the dirt to put them in a open container and keep them in a fluorescent light cycle and they ended up all dying. Not sure if it was the light or what went wrong. Ordered more from Great Lakes and next time I'll just leave them in the dirt to do what they do.

P.S.
14 is a lot. Be prepared to have a lot of eggs! Good luck.

 

[invictusrules]

I let the worms pupate in wood shavings. (aspen animal bedding, not cedar or pine) The shavings keep the humidity levels constant around the pupae.
Non-buried pupae are iffy for survival. Another advantage to shavings is that you can check on the pupae easily.

I usually get good emergence rates - 90%. And since these guys have been raised in labs for decades, diapause isn't an issue as with silkworms. Mine usually pupate for 4 - 6 weeks at room temperature, regular lighting. A little longer in winter when temps are cooler.

 

[Shoulon]

I'll be using that shavings idea as of today I now have 20 in puptation cycle.

 

[forum1983]

I let the worms pupate in wood shavings. (aspen animal bedding, not cedar or pine) The shavings keep the humidity levels constant around the pupae.
Non-buried pupae are iffy for survival. Another advantage to shavings is that you can check on the pupae easily.

I usually get good emergence rates - 90%. And since these guys have been raised in labs for decades, diapause isn't an issue as with silkworms. Mine usually pupate for 4 - 6 weeks at room temperature, regular lighting. A little longer in winter when temps are cooler.

Sweet! This is all good news. I have another batch of eggs I ordered the other day, so when I have some larva ready to pupate then I'll be trying this method. As far as what you do after the moths emerge, do you use a tomato plant, cardboard box, etc?

 

[invictusrules]

As far as what you do after the moths emerge, do you use a tomato plant, cardboard box, etc?

I use an old mesh enclosure - one of those zip-up reptariums - to keep the moths in. Any kind of box-enclosure will do. You just want to confine the moths with enough room for them to fly around in. They could use a whole room!

I've had good success with tomato plants outside the mesh. The moths will (mostly) lay eggs on the screen nearest the plant. Unfortunately, they will also shotgun the roof, the floor, the other sides, everywhere, so it's a little tedious to harvest the little green jewels.

I've got a few pictures of my "set-up" if you'd like to browse:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u8/there_be_dragons_here/Hornworms/

 

[forum1983]

As far as what you do after the moths emerge, do you use a tomato plant, cardboard box, etc?

I use an old mesh enclosure - one of those zip-up reptariums - to keep the moths in. Any kind of box-enclosure will do. You just want to confine the moths with enough room for them to fly around in. They could use a whole room!

I've had good success with tomato plants outside the mesh. The moths will (mostly) lay eggs on the screen nearest the plant. Unfortunately, they will also shotgun the roof, the floor, the other sides, everywhere, so it's a little tedious to harvest the little green jewels.

I've got a few pictures of my "set-up" if you'd like to browse:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u8/there_be_dragons_here/Hornworms/

Great pictures, they will help. Thanks for providing them.

 

[Vermundor]

As far as what you do after the moths emerge, do you use a tomato plant, cardboard box, etc?

I use an old mesh enclosure - one of those zip-up reptariums - to keep the moths in. Any kind of box-enclosure will do. You just want to confine the moths with enough room for them to fly around in. They could use a whole room!

I've had good success with tomato plants outside the mesh. The moths will (mostly) lay eggs on the screen nearest the plant. Unfortunately, they will also shotgun the roof, the floor, the other sides, everywhere, so it's a little tedious to harvest the little green jewels.

I've got a few pictures of my "set-up" if you'd like to browse:
http://s164.photobucket.com/albums/u8/there_be_dragons_here/Hornworms/

Concerning your hatching box... Could I place eggs right inside the big larva box or is it better to put them in a smaller one?

 

[invictusrules]

Concerning your hatching box... Could I place eggs right inside the big larva box or is it better to put them in a smaller one?

I borrowed the idea from silkworm raising, where you can use smaller chunks of food, and the droppings (mostly) fall through the needlepoint mesh. But you certainly could go ahead and use the bigger box. The hatchlings don't eat huge quantities like the older caterpillars, so the food might dry out before it's eaten.

 

[Shoulon]

I plan to have this thread largly finished. (like 80%) by end of june. just waiting for thee moth's to emerge =/

 

[jdkane527]

For hornworms that I will not be feeding to my bearded dragons, can I feed them tomatoes I buy from the market? Waiting on food shipment from Great Lake Hornworms, and looks like it won't come in until tomorrow or so, and these guys are getting big pretty quickly.

 

[dweglarz13]

I too am interested in making my own Hornworm food. Any progress on those step by step instructions for making our own food? I am curious about this, and wouldn't mind raising my own little worms for my beardies that i make myself! Thanks
Dave

 

[Vermundor]

It's pretty hard to make hornworm food. I heard it ends up being more costly and aggravating than purchasing the finished product. You can always buy the dry food and make it yourself, its a lot easier.

 

[NFM07]

Thanks for all the great info!