Do you remember having silkworms when you were young? Fascinating watching these wriggly worms chomp their way through the mulberry leaves, growing faster than you can imagine and then spinning cocoons from which would emerge those furry white moths, which then laid eggs and you would put the shoebox away until September of the following year when the whole cycle would start again.
Silkworm cocoons are normally yellow or white so we used to feed them beetroot leaves to get a pink colour of silk and spinach to get a pale green silk. We would cut out stiff paper card into various shapes like hearts or stars or sometimes long rectangles(for bookmarks), we would pin these board shapes to a cork in a bottle and put the silkworm on the card where they would spin their silk, of course never becoming a cocoon. We would then remove the silk from the board by soaking it in warm water so that the silk could be easily removed from the board. We so treasured those gossamy silk shapes and would be quite envious of anyone else who had a more beautiful one than what you had got.
We could get white silkworms or the zebras (my favourite) which had black stripes and grew much bigger than the white ones. We were also very lucky to have a huge mulberry tree in our backyard so getting leaves was never a problem. We used to rush home from school each afternoon, get changed, pick mulberry leaves (eat some mulberries at the same time) and then go clean out the boxes. Silkworms climbing everywhere whilst you took out all the old leaves and cleaned out the box. Then the fresh leaves all laid out nicely in the box, silkworms put back in and you would just sit and watch the feeding frenzy, it was such fun.
For years now I had forgotten about silkworms (as children have grown up), until I was reminded by the ads on Gumtree selling silkworms, from 50c up to R1.00 per worm, some even selling the mulberry leaves as well. So many ads selling them as pets and then I saw the darker side! Some people are selling them as food for bearded dragons! Surely not? I couldn’t imagine those little harmless wriggly things being used as pet food. Mind you I think the same way about any creature deliberately being fed alive to another creature.
So have you bought your silkworms this year?
Hi,
Where can I buy Silk worm eggs in Hermanus in the Western Cape?
Thanks.
I have hundreds of large ones that are starting to spin if you want them.
Hi I would love silkworm eggs or silkworms or maybe even the moths I have had them before but when we moved house the eggs in the shoe box just disappeared like poof
Thanks
Funnily enough when it comes to quality of feed for reptiles/fish/invertebrates when feeding insects, silkworms top all the normal feeds like roaches and crickets
Very popular in spring/summer as feeder insects.
May i please contact you regarding more info about different markets for silkworms? Regards
Hi
Did you find a buyer for cocoons i have to start selling my cocoons
I life in JHB…my grand daughter got about 20 from a friend, but all but 2 are now cacoons. We battled to get malberry leaves, and would like to buy a tree or two for next season. Anybody got an idea where we can get?
I am looking for silkworms and the moths….do you know where in Cape town I can get some?
Hi Janine
Thank you for the visit. I would try the nearest pet shop
Hi there,
I am looking for silkworms in the Johannesburg area. Any idea where I should begin my search?
Kind regards,
Carryn
Hi, I have a few 100 baby silkworms and about 50 000 eggs. Selling them for R50 for 200+ in container if anyone is interested?
I am looking for tiger silkworms (black with white stripes). Anybody have some?
Good day. I need to help. Our silkworm had hatched yesterday and its in winter time. Our leaves tree leaves will fall soon. Can i put others eggs in fridge until September take them out the fridge when we have new leaves?
Could you please let me know where I can get silkworms in Johannesburg,
I am needing for the next season,
Blessings Stan
Does anyone know where I can get silkworms, or the eggs.
I dont think winter is the right season for them though. I dont know where else to ask
Liezen
Paarl
I love silkworm eggs and I am very interested in buying them from there (south africa). Could anyone sell me or give me. I am from Spain.