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Silkworm Pod® & Hornworm Pod™ Care Instructions
Silkworm Pod® Care
When your silkworm pod® arrives, dump out the waste and orient the silkworm pod(s)® so the food is at the top and the lid is face down. You should prop a pen/pencil under the lip to allow air flow between the solid surface and the lid to allow for air exchange. (You can also store on wire racks where there is no solid surface.) The worms will grip the black screen as they feed and waste will fall to the bottom/lid. As the silkworms grow they need to shed their skin, this process is done by falling to the lid do not be alarmed if you see this.
The silkworms can remain in the pod until they run out of food and or outgrow the pod. As the silkworms grow larger, you will need to discard their waste by removing the lid and allowing the waste to drop out. Keeping the temperature in the low 80's will allow for fast growth. Once they reach about an inch long, the growth is extremely fast.
DO NOT REFRIGERATE SILKWORMS THIS WILL KILL THEM. If you want to slow growth keep them cooler.
At 2-3" they will stop eating (and let go of the screen in the pod) dropping to the bottom of the pod. If you look carefully you will notice the skin along the back will become translucent and pulsating heartbeat is visible. At this point they stop eating and expeal waste before cocooning. At this stage they will either cocoon or die.
MOLD? If your pod develops mold, use a spoon to scoop out the molded area. The main cause of mold in the pods is too much humidity/heat, and waste coming into contact and sticking to the food.
Hornworm Pod™ Care
When your hornworms arrive, dump out the waste and orient the pod so the food is at the top and the lid is face down. You should prop a pen/pencil under the lip to allow air flow between the solid surface and the lid to allow for air exchange. (You can also store on wire racks where there is no solid surface.) The worms will grip the black screen as they feed and waste will fall to the bottom/lid. As the hornworms grow they need to shed their skin, this process is done by falling to the lid do not be alarmed if you see this.
The hornworms can remain in the pod until they run out of food and or outgrow the pod. As the hornworms grow larger, you will need to discard their waste by removing the lid and allowing the waste to drop out. Keeping the temperature in the 80's will allow for fast growth. Once they reach an inch long, the growth is extremely fast. They can grow from 1 inch - to between 3-4 inches as little as 5 days (at these temps).
Hornworm can grow to fast for some customers to use. When hornworms reach the size desired, you can slow growth to a near stop and extend shelf life. This is done by storing them between 55 and 65 degrees. DO NOT REFRIGERATE THIS WILL KILL HORNWORMS. The easiest way to extend their shelf life is to use a wine cooler. Larger hornworms can eat tomato, potatoes, bell peppers, or you can purchase additional food.
At 4" they will stop eating (and let go of the screen inside) dropping to the bottom of the pod. If you look carefully you will notice the skin along the back will become translucent and pulsating heartbeat is visible. At this point they stop eating and become restless looking for a place to bury into. At this stage they will either pupate or die. If you want them to pupate, place them in a cup containing damp peat-moss or dirt and they will dig down about 4 inches deep and then they will usually pupate within about 2 weeks. The moths can emerge between 2 weeks and several months later.
MOLD? If your pod develops mold, use a spoon to scoop out the molded area. The main cause of mold in the pods is too much humidity/heat, and waste coming into contact and sticking to the food.
