| Silkworms are the larva of a moth (Bombyx mori) native to Asia that spins a cocoon of fine,strong, lustrous fiber that is the source of commercial silk.The culture of silkworms is called sericulture. The various species raisedtoday are distinguished by the quality of the silk they produce.Silkworms feed on the leaves of the mulberries (genus Morus) and sometimes on the Osageorange (Maclura pomifera). Bombyx Mori will not bite, making it an ideal worm for feeding most reptiles,amphibians and other animals. And they offer great nutritional value as a live feeder. |  Mulberry Leaves |
 Silkworm and Cocoon | Silkworms go through four stages of development, as do most insects:egg, larva, pupa and adult.Click here to see a life cycle chart.The adult (imago) stage is the silkworm moth.The larva is the caterpillar (not really a "worm" at all). The pupa is what the silkwormchanges into after spinning its cocoon before emerging as a moth.Since the silkworm grows so much,it must shed its skin four times while it is growing.These stages-within-a-stage are called instars. Today, the silkworm moth lives only in captivity. Silkworms have beendomesticated so that they can no longer survive independently innature, |
Silkworms have been used by researchers to study pheromones or sexualattractant substances. The pheromones are released by female moths andthe males detect the chemicals with olfactory hairs on their antennae.This allows the male to find the female for mating. The male antennaeare made of many small hairs to increase the chances of picking up smallamounts of the pheromones over long distances.
 Silkworm Eggs and Moth | The great thing about silkworms is that they only grow as much as you feed them,and they can go for up to a week without food. Keep in mind, however,that they will become dehydrated and begin to die off after a few days without food, and shouldbe fed at least once daily in order to remain healthy.But, in general, if you have too many you canfeed them a few times per week and they'llstay alive until you need them without growing too much larger. |
| Wash hands thoroughly before handling the worms or the food or theymay develop bacterial problems. Using a cheese grater, grate a small amount offood onto the them and repeat until the caterpillars reach the desired size.For best results, maintain temperatures between 78° and 88° F. Excessive condensation forming in the container after feedingis the leading cause of failure. If this condensation does form, takethe lid off your container and allow the container and old food to completely dry out.In the future, make sure the previous food is dry before feeding again.Old damp food is a breeding ground for mold and other problems, dry food is not.A fan can help for quicker dry outs. |  Newly hatched silkworms are tiny |
Under ideal conditions (78° to 88° F and allowed to feed nearly continuously)silkworms can go from egg to 1 inch in length in about 12 days, and 3 inches in under 30 days.The worms will begin to spin cocoons at about 28 - 30 days old or when they are between2 1/2 and 3 inches long.
For more detailed silkworm care instruction, please see ourFAQ page.
 Silkworm Moth | Silkworm moths emerge from their cocoons after spending about two to threeweeks metamorphosing. As moths, they do not eat or fly. They will usually mate,lay eggs and die within a week. Fertile eggs turn from yellow to gray or purplein a week or so. If the eggs don't hatch within 3 weeks, they usually will not hatchuntil the following year (see above—from egg to larva). |
Proper Handling ProceduresAgain, in order for your worms to stay healthy for many weeks, you'll need to keep thesilkworms as dry as possible. If condensation builds up during feeding, vent thecontainer lid to prevent excess humidity.
Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling the wormsor their food. Silkworms can be susceptible to bacteria if you don't properly handle them.As long as the container environment remains dry, your worms will be fine.
Mold develops from high temperatures and high humidity.If the worms are covered with droppings, silk and old food for too long,mold may develop and kill the worms. If mold does develop, grate about 1/4 inch offood (sold separately)all over the worms with a cheese grater. As the worms crawl to the top of thenew food pile you can transfer them off the moldy food and place them into a new container.
Silkworms are susceptible to bruising and dying if not handled with care, especially asthey grow larger.
When handling and transferring the worms, be very gentle.
For more information about caring for this amazing creature, see ourFrequently Asked Questions. You may also want to visit our page about the numerousbenefits that it offers HERE.
If you would like to purchase silkworms, Please visit our SHOP HERE.
Wikipedia.org - As always, this website is a wonderful place to find information on just about anything.
Sue Kayton's Website is a good source for K-12 teachers who want to raise silkworms in their classroom.
The Culture of the Mulberry Silkwormis a free ebook available on Google. It is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provides a wealth of information about caring for and rearing silkworms.
