silkworm moths/eggs

[sarahjane85]

These are silkworm moths that I feed to most of my gecko sp.
I try to get them out of the container before they start laying eggs - a little more nutritious for the geckos. I just came in from working in the garden (hence my dirty/jagged fingernails) and found four that were already starting to mate. They usually spray you know what all over if I don't catch them in time and sometimes they can't wait to lay their eggs either.......

Sarah.

 

[cliff_f]

thats interesting. Never new what the silkworm moth looked like.

 

[GeckoTom]

Hi Sarah
They are great food! I like to feed them too
Please post how you bring them to lay fertile eggs.

I always order the eggs in the UK and let them grow to good size for feeding. Some i let build a cocoon, they hatch and mate but the butterflies never produce fertile eggs.

Thanks
Regards
Tom

 

[Hilde]

These are silkworm moths that I feed to most of my gecko sp.

I guess this scene must be familiar to you then

It helps to sprinkle peat or coco-fibre on the floor before adding the moths, that way the .... um... drippings ... are easy to clean up.

 

[sarahjane85]

Silkworms are so much fun......you should give it a try Brian.

Tom, the way I do it is similar to this:
Pupa and Moth

When the silkworms reach 2 inches, I cut 1 inch pieces of toilet paper or paper towel roll
into their tray and they cocoon inside - easy removal. These I place into a container with small holes, parchment paper underneath and along the sides (this is where they will deposit the eggs) and wait until they emerge, 2-3 weeks. I keep some eggs for later but most of the moths get fed to geckos... each moth will lay a couple hundred eggs!
Basically, you only need one male moth to emerge -- he'll find each female as she emerges and mate with every single one.
The eggs turn purple (fertile) after a couple hours and you can either put them in the fridge or let them hatch. It is a long process though. If the eggs remain yellow, they are not fertile and I usually scrape them off the paper to feed to my P. bastardi and/or hatchling geckos.

Gorgeous AFT (and nice shot) Hilde! I have a young one that is growing like a weed!

Sarah.

 

[GeckoTom]

Hello Sarah!


Thanks for the information and the link!

The eggs didn´t hatch because I didn´t put them in the fridge!!:roll::roll:

Do you feed artificial food??

I only feed the caterpillars to the geckos, have to let them spin cocoons and try to feed the moths, I think the will like them like the little hungry guy on Hildes pic!:-D


Regards
Thomas

 

[Lizardman]

Hi!

Really interesting silkworm moths!

What are you keep them in when they will breed?
Any pic would be great.

Thanks
/Niclas

 

[DrJekyl_MrHyde]

what the lifespan of the silkworm moths?

 

[hyposhawn]

Nice.

 

[Gexter]

WOW! Those are amazing! I've been feeding silkworms to my stuff at home for 5 years and never had a clue as to what the moths looked like. I also had no idea how to breed them but after reading this and seeing those pictures, I almost feel like giving it a shot!!!!

PS AMAZING picture Hilde!