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Activity #1: Search The Internet For Silkworm Information
While you are waiting for your silkworm larvae to arrive, probe the Internet for silkworm information (if you don’t have a computer at home with Internet access, try your local public library). Call up your favorite search engine (such as yahoo.com or altavista.com) then type in “silk,” “silkworm” or “moth.” Use any other words relating to silkworms that come to mind. When you have found a silkworm site, bookmark it on your computer or print out the pages and keep them for future reference. Who knows, you may have to do a report on silkworms for school someday!
Activity #2: Feeding Your Silkworms
Your silkworms need fresh food regularly but don’t overfeed them. Start by giving your silkworms a small 1/2-inch cube of Chow. When the food nugget gets smaller than the size of a pea, or when it looks dry, add another bit of food into the tub. You will notice that as your silkworms get older, they will eat more each day. The amount of food you give them should increase as the silkworms grow. Keep an eye on the food supply in the incubation tub – you don't want to run out when your silkworms are their largest and need the most food! Your silkworms don’t need any additional water as they get their fluids from the Chow. And, once again, remember to seal the food after feeding to keep the Chow moist. Unless you are feeding your silkworms, it is vital to keep the unperforated lid on the container at all times. Most importantly, do not store the food in the refrigerator.
Activity #3: Keep A Silkworm Growth Journal
Keep a daily journal of your silkworms’ growth. Get a small notepad, a flexible tape measure and a pencil. For each journal entry, write the day and date. Open the lid and take a close look at your silkworms (but remember to replace the incubator lid when you’re done). Document anything you notice about them. How much larger and longer are they today? Have they developed any new markings? Try to discover something different about them each time you make a journal entry. Use your tape measure to measure the larvae. You may also wish to draw pictures of the silkworms each day. Once the silkworms have completed their metamorphosis, it will be fun to look back at how quickly they have grown.
Activity #4: Harvest Your Raw Silk
After the adult silkworm moths have safely hatched from their cocoons, you can harvest the raw silk thread. Have an adult boil some water. Remove the pan from the heat and let the water cool for about 3 minutes. Drop one of the cocoons into the warm water and let it soak for about a minute. Remove the cocoon with a large spoon or ladle, set it on a paper towel, and let it cool. When the cocoon is cool enough to handle, pick it up and begin to gather the silk between your thumb and index finger. Roll the thread back and forth while pulling it away from the cocoon. You’re now harvesting silk! As the thread grows, you may wish to wrap it around a spindle or similar object for safe keeping. In the factories where silk is produced, these cocoons are boiled with the moths inside. This kills the moth, but allows the silk to remain in a single strand which is necessary for weaving the thread. Please do not boil your unhatched cocoons.
Activity #5: Take Your Adult Silk Moth For A Walk
The silkworm moth has been domesticated for over 4,000 years. This means the moth cannot fly - but you can still make it feel like flying by taking it out for a walk! Carefully place your finger underneath the front legs of the silk moth. Go very slowly and be careful not to injure the moth. You will notice how easily the moth will crawl onto your fingertip. Don’t worry, it won’t bite. Hold your little friend up to eye level and take a good look. Now if the weather is nice, take your moth outside for a walk around the block. You won’t even need a leash!
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Fun Silkworm Facts:
- It takes approximately 600 silkworm cocoons to make one silk tie, and 2,000 cocoons to make one silk dress!
- The silk strand that makes up the silkworm’s cocoon can be up to one mile long!
- The word “metamorphosis” is a combination of Greek words that mean “transformation”.
- The scientific name of the silkworm is Bombyx mori.
- Silkworms are domesticated insects - which means an animal tamed and cared for by humans. Other domesticated animals include pigs, chickens and cows. Silkworms aren’t even found in Nature anymore!
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Feeding Your Silkworms with Mulberry Leaves
Silkworms eat leaves from Mulberry trees. Wait until the Mulberry trees have leafed out in the Spring. Rearing can be done throughout the growing season as long as leaves are available. Place your eggs on the bottom of a small cardboard box to await hatching. Your eggs have already spent several months in the cold to satisfy their hibernation requirement.
Hatching will begin in about seven days and will continue for one to two weeks. Before hatching, the eggs will turn dark around the edges. When you see the tiny worms, about the size of a typed comma, gently pick them up (with a small brush, perhaps) and place them on a clean, fresh mulberry leaf.
Cleaning Your Leaves
Place three to four drops of dishwashing liquid in a gallon of water. Slosh your Mulberry leaves about in this solution for about one minute. Remove the leaves from the soapy water and rinse with running tap water.
Shake off the excess water. Use some leaves for feeding and store the remainder in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for later use.
You may wish to keep your leaves fresh by wrapping a small piece of moist sponge around the cut end and securing with a rubber band.
Each day during the first week make a fresh leaf bouquet and gently lay it on top of any older bouquets containing the little larvae.
After the first week, the larvae will be large enough to eat the leaves before they dry out and you will then need only to lay clean fresh leaves over them. Sometime during each day remove the old leaf bouquets or bare leaves from your rearing box. Your silkworms will seldom wander away from their food. They have become so domesticated through thousands of years, their dependence upon your care is complete and total.
You must provide your silkworms with lots of clean mulberry leaves as they are voracious eaters during the final larval stages!
Spinning Silk Cocoons
After 25–30 days of growth, your silkworms will be ready to form their cocoons. You will know this time has arrived when the silkworm rears its head above the rest of its body and restlessly waves it to and fro.
The silkworm becomes a little smaller and and its body color darkens slightly. The silkworm then seeks a quiet corner of its habitat or the underside of a leaf to begin its cocoon formation. After forming the support silk strand, the larva bends its body into a U-shape and begins to move its head in a figure 8 pattern. The larva builds the wall of the cocoon with loops of silk thread. It requires three to four days and about 300,000 of these loops to complete the cocoon. Inside, the silkworm sheds its skin and the pupa wiggles free to begin the metamorphosis into a silkmoth.
Emergence of the moth begins ten to fourteen days after cocoon formation. The moth escapes from the cocoon by producing a fluid from the mouth that dissolves a hole through the silk. When the hole is big enough, the moth slips through. This emergence happens early in the morning and almost always before 9 A.M. The wet moth soon dries. You will notice that its tiny wings are far too small to lift its heavy body into flight.
Mating begins soon after emergence and coupling continues for approximately 24 hours. Egg laying begins almost immediately after a pair separates. The female lays her eggs in neat rows upon any surface where she happens to be resting. Egg laying may continue for about one week with the great majority of eggs being laid in the first three days. Each female lays approximately 500 eggs. The eggs are yellow when first laid, and turn a slate gray color in succeeding hours. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I feed my Silkworms?
When they first arrive, start by giving the silkworms about a 1/2 inch cube of food. As they grow larger, you will want to steadily increase the amount you give them. Try not to be wasteful as this kit contains just enough food for your worms to complete their metamorphosis. Also, try to keep the food from drying out by keeping the lid on the tub whenever possible.
Can I handle my silkworms?
Yes, but wash your hands before and after handling. Try not to handle them too much as they are somewhat fragile. When returning them to their incubation tub, don’t forget to replace the lid.
My Silkworms aren’t eating or moving. What’s wrong?
You’ll be glad to know that this is normal, and actually means that your worms are healthy and growing. A Silkworm’s only job is to eat and grow, but because their soft skins do not stretch as they grow, the worms must shed their skins. You will see them “molt” 3 to 4 times during the experiment. Your worms will spend one to two inactive days just before molting. If your worms aren’t eating and are sitting still (especially with their heads raised in the air), keep your eyes peeled! They’re getting ready to molt.
How long before my Silkworms spin their silk?
Silkworms constantly send out threads of silk to help them crawl about. Generally speaking, they won’t be ready to spin their silk cocoons until they are about 20 to 25 days old. Changes in temperature, the age of your worms when you received them, and other variables influence the growth of your worms. However, the more you feed your worms, the quicker they will mature and begin to spin their cocoons.
What happens during silk-spinning?
Before spinning, the silkworms will eat much more than they ever did during earlier stages, so be sure to give them plenty of food. Just before spinning, the worms will stop eating and go to the sides of the tub. They may excrete a clear or brownish liquid at this time. Your silkworms will need about 3 full days to complete their cocoons.
How long will the silkworms be in their cocoons?
Approximately 18 to 21 days. During this time, refrain from disturbing the cocoons. Your silkworms are doing the hard work of metamorphosis in there!
How long will the Silkworm moths live?
Approximately 7 to 10 days. Females generally live longer than males.
How do I tell the males from the females?
Male silkworm moths are smaller than the females, sometimes only half the size. Females will have a blunt yellow/brown gland protruding from their tails, which exudes pheromones to attract males.
What will happen to my moths?
Upon emerging from the cocoon, the silkworm moth’s crumpled wings will need to open completely. Don’t be alarmed if the moth’s wings remain crumpled. This is normal. If you have a male and a female, they will want to mate. You’ll know that they are mating if they are facing away from each other while joining their tails together. They may do this for a whole day or even two. After this, the male’s job is done, and he will soon die. After they mate, remove the male so the female can lay her eggs without being disturbed. The female may lay up to 500 yellow pinhead-sized eggs. She will lay eggs even if she doesn’t mate with a male, but they won’t hatch because the eggs will be unfertilized.
How long until the eggs hatch?
If your moths have mated, after about 20 days the eggs will hatch and you can start the entire Silkworm City process over again! Be sure to gather Mulberry leaves or order Insect Lore Silkworm Chow, so your new silkworms won’t go hungry.
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