Reptile & Amphibian Forums

would these giant silkworms make good feeders?

feeders for what animals? The poly caterpillar has fine, non-stinging hairs but could still be an irritant to the mouth and esophagus of herps.

Both species (esp. cecropia) give off a strong defensive smell and release a fluid. Wouldn't hurt your herp, but may very well cause it to spit it out.

As for the moths - why would you want to? They are beautiful creature which are rapidly declining - better if you release to mate and increase local population.

btw, depending where you are getting these from there is always the possibility of having come in contact with pesticides. Just some things to think about.

lele

in hs for 3 yrs i bred and raised cecropia, polyphemous, and prometheous moths. so i am not just randomly finding them and feeding them. i was thinking about maybe getting back into it and see if there would be a market for them since i have seen silkworms for sale as feeders and also just recently at tinley park tomato horn worms. i know the cecropias have the 4 or 6 bulbs on top but i dont remember them being real hard. i dont think those would harm an animal. the polyphemous on the other hand has nothing like that. you said it has hairs? i dont remember my adults having hairs. as for the toxicity of them i am wondering if there is any toxins in them that they mnight be from the foilage that they eat? i think the horn worms on tomato plants are toxic from the leaves of the plant. if the caterpillars are fed a artifical diet i dont think they would have any toxins then.......correct? as for smell, yeah i remember the smell, wasnt to bad. i dont know, was just an idea. i would have to hunt this fall after the leaves fall for some caccoons to get started. i wouldnt feed the moths, all males would get let go. females would be kept to call males in. probably let some females go too.....keep the population up in the area

in hs for 3 yrs i bred and raised cecropia, polyphemous, and prometheous moths. so i am not just randomly finding them and feeding them.
ah ha! got ya!

i was thinking about maybe getting back into it and see if there would be a market for them since i have seen silkworms for sale as feeders and also just recently at tinley park tomato horn worms.

Yes, Solanaceae family are toxic (potato, tomato, petunia, etc.). So is milkweed which monarch feed on so never offer one to your critters!

Major difference in raring these two even though they are in the same superfamily: Bombycidae. The Bombyx mori (silkworms) have a turn a round time of a few weeks to a few months depending what stage you begin with (see article: www.chameleonnews.com/silkworms.html). Whereas the Satunrniidae (luna, cecropia, etc.) take nearly a full 12 months from egg to adult, sure you can try to hurry up the process, but you will not have any susccess that you can count on to keep a market going.

i know the cecropias have the 4 or 6 bulbs on top but i dont remember them being real hard. i dont think those would harm an animal.

right. in the larval stage they would not be harmful they are meant to ward off natural predators.

the polyphemous on the other hand has nothing like that. you said it has hairs? i dont remember my adults having hairs.

again, it is the larval stage which has setae (hairs). They are not urticating (stinging) as in the io moth, and are not many, but can be irritating to the mouth and esophagus.

The adult poly tend to flip flop around a lot on the ground to ward off predators. Not that a cham (or other herp) wouldn’t be able to nab it, but also keep in mind that due to their wing/body ratio (especially males) offer a minimal meal.

as for the toxicity of them i am wondering if there is any toxins in them that they mnight be from the foilage that they eat? i think the horn worms on tomato plants are toxic from the leaves of the plant.

It would depend on the host plant. In my area (NH) luna often feed on white birch but they never have for me so they feed on sumac, which has a latex sap. I would not trust feeding one ot my cham or dragon.

if the caterpillars are fed a artifical diet i dont think they would have any toxins then.......correct?

Unfortunately, there is no artificial diet for the Saturniids (I tried one that claimed to be for several Saturniids and none ate it – they died) because their host plant requirements are so varied and some feed on toxic plants, thus not wanting to feed to your herps.

as for smell, yeah i remember the smell, wasnt to bad. i dont know, was just an idea. i would have to hunt this fall after the leaves fall for some caccoons to get started. i wouldnt feed the moths, all males would get let go. females would be kept to call males in. probably let some females go too.....keep the population up in the area

If you collect in the wild, there is always the possibility that they have been parasitized and you will have wasps come out instead of a moth – very distressing

Once last concern with raising a lot (like if you want to sell them) is pathogens. I had a bout 3oo cecropia this year and ended up with 7 cocoons. The NPV (virus) and fungus was so bad due to the rain that I pulled my sleeves down by July. It was really sad

Just fyi I have been rearing Saturniids for 7 years and have raised both inside and out. They are a LOT of work and I do not think folks would be willing to pay what you would need to charge to make your time/$$.

Happy to chat with you about them, though

lele

check out a few of my pics. Will be uploading more/current soon
lele's