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> >Please do! And as an extra question, have the silkworms been difficult to
> >raise?
<snip>
The only problem seems to be
> getting enough of the right kinds of leaves for them.
I've got a mulberry tree, which solves most of the problem. The main
challenge so far (we're at the 2-week mark on a month-long process) is
getting enough tiny succulent leaves for the "kego" or "hairy baby"
silkworms. They're also called "ant silkworms" because they are so tiny -
and they have to eat tiny leaves. The tree only produces these juicy green
tender leaves for a couple of weeks in the spring; after that, they only show
up if the tree needs to rejuvenate a trimmed-back area (I'm thinking that may
work for raising a fall crop!) I tried to raise them last summer, and they
all died because the leaves were too tough and dry. Once they are about an
inch long, they eat the big leaves with relish... it's only the bitty-tiny
ones that are so delicate. The traditional Chinese wisdom is that the worms
should be fed leaves that are the same age as the worms themselves, which
makes a lot of sense.
The babies die a LOT. The information that I've read indicates that the
Chinese expect about a quarter of each lot to die somewhere along the
process. After they get a little bigger, they're a lot sturdier.
I'll let you know more about the experiment as it goes forward!
Michael
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