The UK bugs have arrived

Today I got my shipment of ten cocoons from the UK. I'm a little concerned that they are actually A. pernyi because the cocoons seem so much smaller than the last ones I got that were imported from China (via the UK also). These were raised in the UK so maybe something about their environment effected the size of the cocoons.

To avoid the same issue with the moths emerging and then flopping around on the floor of the emerging chamber in their meconium, I strung up the cocoons on a string inside the chamber. In medieval times they would string B. mori up like this to emerge and I have done that many times, so I hope this will work for A. pernyi too. Ideally you're supposed to hang them head facing up, but I couldn't tell which end was which so I strung them horizontally instead of vertically. I figure this would be better than hanging them upside down. They'll still be able to crawl out of the cocoon and rest on it as their wings expand.

Here they are in the chamber. The two on the far left are the two of mine that spun. The third and last worm died on Saturday. I just think he was too far behind.



While I was stringing them up one of them started to vibrate violently in my hand. It startled me, but gives me hope. It feels like one robust critter in there!