• Home
  • About
  • Gallery
  • Silk Friends
  • Instagram
Menu

Highway Cat Studio

  • Home
  • About
  • Gallery
  • Silk Friends
  • Instagram
Moth face massage!
Volcarona, Dustox, and Beautifly (named after the Pokémon) Darkroot and Oolacile (they are gamers, and a breeding pair) Time for a closeup! This is Wyrm, hanging out at a little table I made for him. Sometimes silkmoths need a little extra help emerging from their cocoons. In those cases, I will gently pull the silk away with my fingers, or use a toothpick and pair of thread clippers to carefully make a bigger hole for the moth to exit. Inside the cocoon, there are 2 molts: the first one is the shed pupa, and the second is the last instar from their time as a silkworm. If you look closely, you can see the face that they shed!
When the female moth emerges from the cocoon, she extends a pair of bulbs containing scent glands. The pheromones excreted can be detected by male moths immediately, who will make their way over for a chance to mate. What does the pupa look like inside the cocoon? Here’s Chariot, a silkworm that pupated before building a cocoon! You can see where the eyes, antennae, and wings will be from the outlines! In this stage, they will react to touch, but it is all We have 3 males and 1 female (already having themselves some fun). Any name ideas? So sorry to have gone without posting for so long. With the Coronavirus throwing everything into disarray, things have been a bit hectic. Nevertheless, today my first moths hatched! Say hello to the world, little ones! Also, if you’re looking to get into sericulture and raising your own silkworms, I have resources that might be helpful to take a look at, in addition to a “manual” of sorts that I’m working on writing for the modern silkworm b Most of the silkworms are living in these little cardboard “apartments”, perfect for them to cocoon inside. They often will walk along the top before finding the right place to cocoon.
Take a look at this absolute beast! She’s the daughter of Mothra and Ghidorah (two moths from my previous brood) and by far the largest worm I have!

 

Back to Top

email: lkuntz@mica.edu