It worked!

[Faroe]

I just didn't expect it to. Last fall, when the silkworms disappeared under their bedding of leaves and spun their coocunes (spell??), I missed them. It was kind of a Charlotte's Web moment. The moths that emerged were beautiful, but just weren't the same worms.

I gathered the tiny eggs and put in them in a jar in the fridge as the directions said. The jar came out in April as soon as the mulberry trees leafed out, but I wasn't expecting them to actually hatch. The calendar was marked so I'd know when to give up and toss them. Last week, on time, to the day, the worms hatched out. They are now almost half an inch long, and there must be about three hundred of them.

Eating me out of house and home! Good thing mulberry trees grow like weeds around here.

[Mstini]

I just didn't expect it to. Last fall, when the silkworms disappeared under their bedding of leaves and spun their coocunes (spell??), I missed them. It was kind of a Charlotte's Web moment. The moths that emerged were beautiful, but just weren't the same worms.

I gathered the tiny eggs and put in them in a jar in the fridge as the directions said. The jar came out in April as soon as the mulberry trees leafed out, but I wasn't expecting them to actually hatch. The calendar was marked so I'd know when to give up and toss them. Last week, on time, to the day, the worms hatched out. They are now almost half an inch long, and there must be about three hundred of them.

Eating me out of house and home! Good thing mulberry trees grow like weeds around here.

Congratulation, Dad. It's worms!

The built-in spell check will do it for you if you pay attention. ("Cocoons") but we love you anyhow. When a word is misspelled, the computer program underlines it with a red squiggle--click on it and the correct spelling will (usually, if you are somewhat close to correct--you weren't, sorry!) drop down and give you the correct spelling.

Anyhow, what are you planning to do with the silk? Mail it to China? I would be interested to hear!

[Faroe]

"mispelling" ...red line, but no drop down when clicked, and no icon for spell check. Never could spell. I always try a few variations to get rid of the red line (the spelling always looks right to me!), but usually just move on if it remains. This is an old computer - maybe it just doesn't support that function in the "reply" mode.

Thanks anyway, Mistini.

No plans to sell the silk. Someday, I'll take the cocoons ((Oh, there we go, it is a RIGHT click.)) and maybe spin a cord thick enough to make a pretty Chinese knotted charm for a necklace. Mostly, I just enjoy fussing over the little creatures. Assuming it is still up, If you search "Wormspit" you will find an informative and beautifully photographed site that is all about the life of the silkworm.

[Mstini]

"mispelling" ...red line, but no drop down when clicked, and no icon for spell check. Never could spell. I always try a few variations to get rid of the red line (the spelling always looks right to me!), but usually just move on if it remains. This is an old computer - maybe it just doesn't support that function in the "reply" mode.

Thanks anyway, Mistini.

No plans to sell the silk. Someday, I'll take the cocoons ((Oh, there we go, it is a RIGHT click.)) and maybe spin a cord thick enough to make a pretty Chinese knotted charm for a necklace. Mostly, I just enjoy fussing over the little creatures. Assuming it is still up, If you search "Wormspit" you will find an informative and beautifully photographed site that is all about the life of the silkworm.

We raised 'em in 4th grade. It totally grossed me out, even at that age. The school had lots of Mulberry trees, and I didn't even want to walk around the buildings or playground. Ewww! I have a big Mulberry tree in my front yard, but thank the Lord, no worms! I would probably have to get it dug out if the worms showed up!