Hi lele...



My children and I were wondering a few things...and you being the resident insect expert...I told them I'd ask you to see if you could answer the questions for us!



This morning we were watching the remaining silkworms that I bought for Zoe (all 15 of the 20 I bought!)

One has already cocooned. Another one is in the process of building a cocoon...but we can't seem to tell which end the silk comes out of. Is it the mouth, or the bum?



I read somewhere that a good way to stimulate a cham to eat a silkie is to get a thread of silk on your finger, and dangle the silkie in front of the cham...but damned if we could figure out which end to get the silk from...or how to make the silkworm produce it! My daughter picked up the one that is currently building the cocoon...but it wouldn't do it for us.



The next question is: How long will it take before a moth is produced, and is there anything special we have to do to maintain proper conditions for them?



Also, once they turn into a moth, do we feed them mulberry too? Then, if they were to breed...do they lay eggs, or do they give birth to live itty bitty silkworms (ugh! like maggots?)



oh...and...what's the little spikey thing near the bum, but up on the back, for?



Thanks for the lesson lele!
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Kim

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