At our 4-H meeting tonight, the science teacher brought in silkworms to show the youth with cups for youth to take some silkworms home for observation. From what we’ve learned tonight, they will only eat mulberry leaves, do not need water, will eventually make a cocoon, become flightless moth, lay eggs, and then die. Next step would be to save the eggs in a plastic ziploc bag, which will be saved and refrigerated until next March and then they will hatch? It’s all a glob of information that I need to sort out, but observing them will be a great learning tool. Now we need to find mulberry leaves for them, which will be an interesting adventure to identify them in the wild.
That’s the gist of what I understood from tonight’s lesson, but I will have to do more research on my own. Do you have knowledge to share about silkworms? I would appreciate if you left information in the comment’s section below.
We brought them home in a styrofoam cup with the second cup turned upside down the first cup to make a dome shape. It was then taped around the middle section to keep the two cups together. A little hole was poked on top for air circulation.
Thankfully, we had an empty sandwich plastic container that could contain these silkworms. I felt resourceful when I heated the end of a screwdriver on the stove to poke holes through the plastic lid!
18 responses to “New endeavor with silkworms”
Imagine being a silkworm! What a strange and wonderful world this is. Unfortunately I’m of no use to you, Esther. I could not even identify a mulberry leaf.
Jo, I’m right there with you. I don’t know what mulberry leaves look like or where to find them. But we got to find out quickly! These silkworms are hungry. Elliot said that “it’ll be an adventure” to go out searching for them. Google Lens will come in handy.
I don’t know that I could identify a mulberry leaf, but I know the trees are around. I often find purple splotches left by birds that have been eating the berries! When you search for information about how to identify the tree, look for articles about Morus alba. This map shows that’s the species you’re most likely to find.
It just occurred to me: on iNaturalist, you can search for local sightings of any plant. If you’re not already a member, join up. It’s free, and fairly easy to navigate. Just choose a user name and password, and then begin to explore. You can enter Morus alba and see exactly where people are finding the trees in your area.
Wow, this website is amazing! Thanks for suggesting it. I remember using the insect website to identify the bug we found on our store-bought broccoli a couple of years ago.
Thank you, Linda for the map! We did a google image search last night of what mulberry leaves look like. This is crazy, but I think the tree in front of our house is a mulberry tree, the fruitless version. lol. We will do a double check before introducing it to the silkworms,
I wouldn’t know a mulberry bush if it jumped up and smacked me in the face!
I feel the same way!
What does Darling Dart say about the new family pet in the house?
Esther, I don’t know anything about those worms or mulberry. Did you know this project would involve taking care of another critter in your house for a year? Ack, I’d say.
Dart has been preoccupied with his shedding, so he hasn’t been too concerned yet. He shed last night but couldn’t reach the ones near the tips of his fingers and toes. Elliot and I had to peel them off today and Dart was not enthused about that. He did some chirping to vocalize his displeasure….later treated with a mealworm as a peace offering. lol
Ack! For sure…these little pets keep us busy. I also remembered hearing last night that we need to use gloves when handling the silkworm enclosure. They’re very sensitive to odors and skin oils. I forgot to do that last night, so I was worried they might’ve died. Nope…they good!
Ha, ha, ha with Darling Dart! Good peace offering. ❤️🦎
Those little pets are waaaayyyy too much high maintenance!!! I would be more concerned about what those worms may give anyone touching them!?!? Or if they get out in the house… ACK!
Although Darling Dart may want to eat them????
Sending you all my love.
Thank you TD! These little bugs are a lot of maintenance. Lettuce leaves for crickets and mealworms and now mulberry leaves for the silkworms. We do have a very off assortment of pets and feeder bugs.
At the beginning of the pandemic I ordered some masks from Etsy as a fellow blogger said they were adjustable for glasses and comfortable – at that time we could buy paper masks of any type. So I now keep getting e-mails from other mask makers and they often advertise mulberry silk and I honestly never took the time to look up just what “mulberry silk” was – now I know.
Very nice & interesting you learned New endeavor with Silkworm. It’s all a glob of information that you need to sort out, but observing them will be a great learning tool. An interesting adventure to identify them in the wild.
Nice you sharing your learning knowledge,my dear friend.
Thank you, Raj! I’m glad you’re here to learn along with us.
Most welcome, Eshter! I like learn with you.
I think we have a mulberry tree. Let me know if you want me to send you some leaves!
Thanks, friend! We found some right in front of our house. I just didn’t know mulberry trees had a fruitless kind, which is the one we have. So many species and varieties of trees out there.