I am a fiber artist and have a chance to get some viable cocoons of a wild
silk moth that eats either castor bean leaves or privet leaves and
apparently not much else. (I want to raise the moths, eggs, worms, and then
process the silk from the cocoons, to document the process).
Don't castor bean plants go dormant? And ailanthus?
But aren't privets evergreen like boxwood? The woman who has been raising
these moths year around near Myrtle Beach has raised them successfully on
nothing but privet (with some castor leaves in summer).
It is so hard to find viable cocoons of the wild silk moths, I REALLY don't
want to miss this chance, but I have no privet, and no logical place to
plant any. (Plus, if I bought some, I could not be sure the plants had not
been sprayed, and might have residue, but most folks on this list know if or
when they sprayed....)
Does anyone around Apex/RTP area have BIG healthy (spray-free of course)
privet bushes that could tolerate a light, even pruning for about 3 weeks?
Apparently the moths would be ready to emerge from their cocoons in a week
or so. They won't eat much till the 3rd and 4th weeks, but by then their
appetites will be prodigious (I know because I am currently raising domestic
silk worms on commercial powdered mulberry leaves).
I would need to harvest an increasing quantity of small branches every few
days. If the branches keep fresh in water, I could come a little less
often, but the leaves have to be fresh and healthy to make healthy moths.
Silk worms increase 10,000-fold from egg to old enough to spin a cocoon, so
we would need LOTS of fresh privet branches.
The moth is similar to a polyphemus, but a richer brown with some cream and
lavender.
http://cse-ferg41.unl.edu/pub/leps/i...l?page=cynthia
If I can find enough privet plants to feed a clutch or two of eggs, I will
be glad to post or email photos of each step of the process, so the entire
group can enjoy it.
Got privet?? (Or fresh ailanthus or castor bean?)
Thanks!
laurie (Mother Mastiff)