silkworm eggs started hatching, too late to chill rest ?

[kingofnobbys]

Silly question: what are sample jars? Are they the little glass jars that are brown and used for essential oils?

little glass bottles that look like

.... I bought about 20 by mailorder of these from a laboratory supply place. The bottles I have are about 75mm tall.

Little glass test-tubes with cork or rubber stoppers in the end would be just as good.

 

[mommacude]

Oh interesting; OK I see those on eBay. Thanks.

 

[mommacude]

One of my big concerns is our air conditioner. It's cool in my house abd dry. I need to find a way to keep them warm without drying them out. I have a big batch of eggs that is now grey I need to put in the fridge and three or four others laying eggs. I got some eggs online that aren't hatching I think they dried up. I only have like two worms left from the 50 or so babies she sent. They didn't eat the chow so I put in a baby leaf and three are eating it. I put Sarah wrap on the dish and a slightly damp paper towel squished up in one corner for humidity.

I just ordered more older worms to feed my lizard and hope to get them tomorrow along with some hornworms.

 

[kingofnobbys]

One of my big concerns is our air conditioner. It's cool in my house abd dry. I need to find a way to keep them warm without drying them out. I have a big batch of eggs that is now grey I need to put in the fridge and three or four others laying eggs. I got some eggs online that aren't hatching I think they dried up. I only have like two worms left from the 50 or so babies she sent. They didn't eat the chow so I put in a baby leaf and three are eating it. I put Sarah wrap on the dish and a slightly damp paper towel squished up in one corner for humidity.

I just ordered more older worms to feed my lizard and hope to get them tomorrow along with some hornworms.

My house is airconditioned 24/7 over summer and in winter too. We set the aircon for 24oC in summer.

I think if you put the tub the silkworms are in a cardboard box with a well ventilated lid, they'll have a more stable microclimate and you'll be OK. No cold dry air blowing directly on their tub.

 

[mommacude]

Thank you! I'll try that! I don't have to worry if they're then in dark then?

 

[kingofnobbys]

Thank you! I'll try that! I don't have to worry if they're then in dark then?

Didn't seem to bother my silkworms , only really had then in the light when they were very tiny and in an airtight tub (sealed with Gladwrap to keep them in and predatory bugs out).

Pretty big ventilation wholes In the cardboard box's lid and side made by poking a steak knife through and rotating it lets a bit of light in.
I was feeding silkworms 3 times a day (fresh leaves) BTW so they were spending a bit of time on the coffee table in the light, but seemed to me most the worms were inbetween and under partly eaten leaves chomping away non-stop and oblivious to the time of day.

Providing the cold dry airflow from the aircon is not blowing directly on them and the leaves /chow and you stay ontop of the food supply and keep on removing their poos and any sick or dead worms and don't give humidity a chance to increase enough to make the poo and uneaten fragments of food and the sides of the tub damb (from condensation) I think you'll be fine.
Some people I know keep their silkworms in a cardboard shoe box in the benchcabinet under their kitchen sink or even in a dresser drawer in their bedroom.

I think high humidity will kill them off quicksmart - as soon as stuff starts looking white and fuzzy.

This might help you : http://www.peacefulsilkworms.com.au/guide

 

[mommacude]

Thank you! I'll try that! I don't have to worry if they're then in dark then?

Didn't seem to bother my silkworms , only really had then in the light when they were very tiny and in an airtight tub (sealed with Gladwrap to keep them in and predatory bugs out).

Pretty big ventilation wholes In the cardboard box's lid and side made by poking a steak knife through and rotating it lets a bit of light in.
I was feeding silkworms 3 times a day (fresh leaves) BTW so they were spending a bit of time on the coffee table in the light, but seemed to me most the worms were inbetween and under partly eaten leaves chomping away non-stop and oblivious to the time of day.

Providing the cold dry airflow from the aircon is not blowing directly on them and the leaves /chow and you stay ontop of the food supply and keep on removing their poos and any sick or dead worms and don't give humidity a chance to increase enough to make the poo and uneaten fragments of food and the sides of the tub damb (from condensation) I think you'll be fine.
Some people I know keep their silkworms in a cardboard shoe box in the benchcabinet under their kitchen sink or even in a dresser drawer in their bedroom.

I think high humidity will kill them off quicksmart - as soon as stuff starts looking white and fuzzy.

This might help you : http://www.peacefulsilkworms.com.au/guide

Thanks so much!! My house is 21degrees my husband thinks he's a polar bear. I have put the small plastic container inside a cardboard box. I put that box on top of my hedgehog enclosure which is kept warm with a ceramic heater. So that's out of direct heat but a bit warmer. I just got a bunch of worms today; a bit smaller than I thought they'd be but I'm sure they'll grow fast! They're probably 2nd or 3rd instar. I haven't looked closely enough yet; probably 1/4 inch.

You gave me an idea though; I have a cardboard box I just got with hornworms in it that has holes cut out of the sides; maybe that will work well for what I need. I'll get this right! I don't want my lizard getting fat from only eating hornworms.

Thanks for the link! I"m still hoping some of these eggs will hatch; I'll give them another week or two and see. I popped some new ones in the fridge yesterday. They'd all turned grey except about 5 or 6 of them. I think I need to give them a few weeks and try again! My husband thinks I've lost my mind spending almost as much time caring for silkworms as I am caring for the lizard!

 

[kingofnobbys]

Thank you! I'll try that! I don't have to worry if they're then in dark then?

Didn't seem to bother my silkworms , only really had then in the light when they were very tiny and in an airtight tub (sealed with Gladwrap to keep them in and predatory bugs out).

Pretty big ventilation wholes In the cardboard box's lid and side made by poking a steak knife through and rotating it lets a bit of light in.
I was feeding silkworms 3 times a day (fresh leaves) BTW so they were spending a bit of time on the coffee table in the light, but seemed to me most the worms were inbetween and under partly eaten leaves chomping away non-stop and oblivious to the time of day.

Providing the cold dry airflow from the aircon is not blowing directly on them and the leaves /chow and you stay ontop of the food supply and keep on removing their poos and any sick or dead worms and don't give humidity a chance to increase enough to make the poo and uneaten fragments of food and the sides of the tub damb (from condensation) I think you'll be fine.
Some people I know keep their silkworms in a cardboard shoe box in the benchcabinet under their kitchen sink or even in a dresser drawer in their bedroom.

I think high humidity will kill them off quicksmart - as soon as stuff starts looking white and fuzzy.

This might help you : http://www.peacefulsilkworms.com.au/guide

Thanks so much!! My house is 21degrees my husband thinks he's a polar bear. I have put the small plastic container inside a cardboard box. I put that box on top of my hedgehog enclosure which is kept warm with a ceramic heater. So that's out of direct heat but a bit warmer. I just got a bunch of worms today; a bit smaller than I thought they'd be but I'm sure they'll grow fast! They're probably 2nd or 3rd instar. I haven't looked closely enough yet; probably 1/4 inch.

You gave me an idea though; I have a cardboard box I just got with hornworms in it that has holes cut out of the sides; maybe that will work well for what I need. I'll get this right! I don't want my lizard getting fat from only eating hornworms.

Thanks for the link! I"m still hoping some of these eggs will hatch; I'll give them another week or two and see. I popped some new ones in the fridge yesterday. They'd all turned grey except about 5 or 6 of them. I think I need to give them a few weeks and try again! My husband thinks I've lost my mind spending almost as much time caring for silkworms as I am caring for the lizard!

The nice lady who owns PeacefulSilkworms told me the ideal temperature to chill the eggs at is about 7oC , any colder and the eggs are likely to be killed (not frost tolerant), I found the door shelves in my fridge where I usually put drink bottles is about the right temperature.
I suggest you place digital thermometer in you fridge in a few different places until you find the spot that is about the right temperature.
Once chilled, if you let them warm up again, they should hatch almost immediately if still viable (she also told me they can be kept chilled for a year or more but the longer they are chilled the fewer will hatch).
Probably a good idea to open the plastic bags or bottles for a minute or so every so often to let fresh oxygen into them so the eggs don't suffocate. ( I learnt this the hard way .)

I found the printer A4 paper rheme boxes , put ventilation holes, in worked perfectly for my 2016 silkworm raising campaign. Just the right size to accommodate the a couple of 4.5L tubs or 4.5L tub and 2 x 1.5L tubs (to hatch the cocoons in).

 

[mommacude]

I found the printer A4 paper rheme boxes , put ventilation holes, in worked perfectly for my 2016 silkworm raising campaign. Just the right size to accommodate the a couple of 4.5L tubs or 4.5L tub and 2 x 1.5L tubs (to hatch the cocoons in).

That sounds like a good idea.. I should be able to get some at work. Right now I have like 4 different boxes that are small. They're probably 6x6x6 they are what I've received when getting hornworms.

I just sold off most of my roach colony. The plastic bin I used to keep them in has a heat tape on one end and cut out/screen on top.

I was thinking that I might sterilize it and then I can put them on the opposite end because it stays 80 degrees in there. Put a damp paper towel in there to keep humidity up or water crystals. Only thing is I am tired of having that giant bin in my closet. For now keeping them sitting on top of my hedgehog cage (which is two big steralite containers connected by PVC which has metal screening on tip and a ceramic heater on each with thermostat) I guess I'm lucky that most of the critters I have here like it around 80 degrees! I'm going to play with it.

I had planned to put the eggs in the fridge for a month and take them out, but then heard that I should let some sit out for a few weeks and see if they'd hatch without going through the cooling period. I get mixed messages on that but LadySilkworm said it can depend on how the parents were raised and what season. . . that will effect if they hatch right away or will need the cooling period. I just got a bunch of little worms from her this week that are munching away. The eggs I got were from a batch of worms I got on eBay and I really have no idea how he raised his; he had told me to chill them. So I'm going to experiment with both. I'm still waiting on the eggs she'd sent to hatch. I think they were dried up by me when I got them, so she is sending me more (which is nice considering I'm the one that screwed up in the first place)

 

[kingofnobbys]

I found the printer A4 paper rheme boxes , put ventilation holes, in worked perfectly for my 2016 silkworm raising campaign. Just the right size to accommodate the a couple of 4.5L tubs or 4.5L tub and 2 x 1.5L tubs (to hatch the cocoons in).

That sounds like a good idea.. I should be able to get some at work. Right now I have like 4 different boxes that are small. They're probably 6x6x6 they are what I've received when getting hornworms.

I just sold off most of my roach colony. The plastic bin I used to keep them in has a heat tape on one end and cut out/screen on top.

I was thinking that I might sterilize it and then I can put them on the opposite end because it stays 80 degrees in there. Put a damp paper towel in there to keep humidity up or water crystals. Only thing is I am tired of having that giant bin in my closet. For now keeping them sitting on top of my hedgehog cage (which is two big steralite containers connected by PVC which has metal screening on tip and a ceramic heater on each with thermostat) I guess I'm lucky that most of the critters I have here like it around 80 degrees! I'm going to play with it.
<<<< I don't think adding moisture to the worm colony's microclimate is wise , the mulberry leaves will transpire and increase the humidity levels probably too much if you don't remove poos and uneaten food fragments regularly enough, I think adding damp paper towel is about as much as I'd do (for the really small worms). Anything that promotes fungal growth is going kill worms.

I had planned to put the eggs in the fridge for a month and take them out, but then heard that I should let some sit out for a few weeks and see if they'd hatch without going through the cooling period. I get mixed messages on that but LadySilkworm said it can depend on how the parents were raised and what season. . . that will effect if they hatch right away or will need the cooling period. I just got a bunch of little worms from her this week that are munching away. The eggs I got were from a batch of worms I got on eBay and I really have no idea how he raised his; he had told me to chill them. So I'm going to experiment with both. I'm still waiting on the eggs she'd sent to hatch. I think they were dried up by me when I got them, so she is sending me more (which is nice considering I'm the one that screwed up in the first place)

<<< I also found it confusing (when to chill, how to do so), PeacefulSilkworms is on Facebook, she's very informative and helpful, if in doubt, she's worth asking on her facebook page. That's what I did, BTW I don't use facebook much and hardly ever post on my page , only joined when my son was working in North Queensland to stay in touch with him).

My last lot of eggs were taken out of the fridge when our lovely 5 yr old grandson had a temper tantrum and turned off the fridge / freezer in the spare bedroom , we discovered this the next day when my wife found some chicken she had in the fridge to thaw was quite warm in the fridge area, this was 2 weeks ago , no worms hatched yet .... not giving up on them yet though as I crushed a few eggs and they yoke inside them so I think they are still dormant and might be so for a month or more even though they are no longer refrigerated/chilled.

 

[mommacude]

<<<< I don't think adding moisture to the worm colony's microclimate is wise , the mulberry leaves will transpire and increase the humidity levels probably too much if you don't remove poos and uneaten food fragments regularly enough, I think adding damp paper towel is about as much as I'd do (for the really small worms). Anything that promotes fungal growth is going kill worms.


My last lot of eggs were taken out of the fridge when our lovely 5 yr old grandson had a temper tantrum and turned off the fridge / freezer in the spare bedroom , we discovered this the next day when my wife found some chicken she had in the fridge to thaw was quite warm in the fridge area, this was 2 weeks ago , no worms hatched yet .... not giving up on them yet though as I crushed a few eggs and they yoke inside them so I think they are still dormant and might be so for a month or more even though they are no longer refrigerated/chilled.

That was my thinking; the worms, when bigger, seem to do fine just in my son's bedroom in a box. I'm just trying to recreate an incubator of sorts. Just add a little moisture without promoting fungus. Currently I've been putting in a small bit of rolled up paper towel. I check a few times a day and if I see any condensation I open the lid and let it dry out.

I hope your eggs hatch! I'm still holding out hope for the ones that I got first, but if not maybe my new ones. They're still grey, not bluish yet. Then I have to keep the little dears alive through that first instar! I only have one left from the 30 or so that I got as freebies with the eggs. . . which were happily wiggling around when I got them and I promptly killed within 24 hours due to improper care. . I have one little guy left that has gone from black to white, so maybe he'll make it. At this point I am not giving up because I have invested so much time!

 

[kingofnobbys]

<<<< I don't think adding moisture to the worm colony's microclimate is wise , the mulberry leaves will transpire and increase the humidity levels probably too much if you don't remove poos and uneaten food fragments regularly enough, I think adding damp paper towel is about as much as I'd do (for the really small worms). Anything that promotes fungal growth is going kill worms.


My last lot of eggs were taken out of the fridge when our lovely 5 yr old grandson had a temper tantrum and turned off the fridge / freezer in the spare bedroom , we discovered this the next day when my wife found some chicken she had in the fridge to thaw was quite warm in the fridge area, this was 2 weeks ago , no worms hatched yet .... not giving up on them yet though as I crushed a few eggs and they yoke inside them so I think they are still dormant and might be so for a month or more even though they are no longer refrigerated/chilled.

That was my thinking; the worms, when bigger, seem to do fine just in my son's bedroom in a box. I'm just trying to recreate an incubator of sorts. Just add a little moisture without promoting fungus. Currently I've been putting in a small bit of rolled up paper towel. I check a few times a day and if I see any condensation I open the lid and let it dry out.

I hope your eggs hatch! I'm still holding out hope for the ones that I got first, but if not maybe my new ones. They're still grey, not bluish yet. Then I have to keep the little dears alive through that first instar! I only have one left from the 30 or so that I got as freebies with the eggs. . . which were happily wiggling around when I got them and I promptly killed within 24 hours due to improper care. . I have one little guy left that has gone from black to white, so maybe he'll make it. At this point I am not giving up because I have invested so much time!

.... the hardest part is getting them through their first couple of weeks as ittybitty worms... tiny baby roaches, baby spiders, and tiny house ants will all eagerly raid the colony if it's not properly sealed and airtight. I use clingwrap film (GladWrap) to seal my baby worm rearing tubs in that key period, very important to open the tub at least 2 - 3 times per day to let fresh air in and let any builtup humidity escape.

 

[mommacude]

.... the hardest part is getting them through their first couple of weeks as ittybitty worms... tiny baby roaches, baby spiders, and tiny house ants will all eagerly raid the colony if it's not properly sealed and airtight. I use clingwrap film (GladWrap) to seal my baby worm rearing tubs in that key period, very important to open the tub at least 2 - 3 times per day to let fresh air in and let any builtup humidity escape.

I haven't had a lot of trouble with roaches/spiders/ants getting to them. I just have to be sure and feed them right and keep their humidity up. Our house is extremely dry.

 

[CooperDragon]

I got another order of silks yesterday, but they are quite small (still much to small for Darwin although he'd probably say otherwise). They came in cups with plastic ladders so they're difficult to get out into the main tub. I'm wary of picking them up due to their size. I don't want to wind up hurting or killing them while trying to move them to the tub. I have paper towel at the bottom of the tub and I've made up a large batch of chow that should get them through the month easily. For now I've just tipped the two cups sideways and put the chow in the middle hoping they'd crawl out on their own to go eat. How do you handle such tiny worms? I ask because I figure even if I get them out of the cups I'm going to need to change the paper towel and get the poops out. With the larger ones I'd just pluck them all out of the tub, dump the liner and the poop, put down fresh liner, and put them back in.

 

[mommacude]

When they're newborn I use an artist brush. When a little bigger i just move the leaves after they crawl to the new ones. With chow I suppose you wait for them or carefully move one by one letting them grab onto a toothpick.