# help waxworm babies escaping



## Lounmatt (Jul 3, 2008)

i have just had a go at breeding waxworms which has worked yay! but i looked at them and saw some on the outside of the tub they have escaped through the tights i was using for ventilation so i have a few questions 
will the escaped ones survive and swarm my house?:eek4:
if in put a lid on until they are big enough to not escape will they survive without airholes?
i have read to stop them escaping put the tub they are in in a few inches of water, if i do this will they not just all drown? 
any other ideas for ventilation? 

any help appreciated


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## DJH1 (Nov 13, 2007)

I cut a hole in the lid of my tub and put material between the tub and lid and snap it closed- similar to how fruit fly cultures are sold. As they mature and start looking for a place and materials to chrysalise (sp?) they will start to munch it so i use fine cotton gauze and renew it when/ holes appear. You can minimise the amount by providing plenty of scrunched newspaper/ waxpaper for them to hide in instead. When you want to harvest some take out scrunched paper and unfurl it over o tub to catch them. Then scrunch and stick back. Don't know what others do but this is what i've ended up doing through trial and error.


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## NikkiB (Aug 10, 2008)

ask your mum for a small piece of netting, or an old pair of tights :2thumb:


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## hullreptilelover (Mar 4, 2006)

This happened with us and we had loads escape! We bred 2 million (yes 2 million!!!!) and some escaped, I was picking them off the walls and ceiling for days!


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## topmarx (Nov 3, 2007)

material dont work i had the same problem and use 2 old vest over the top of our jar and they seemed to get out no matter what we ended up using was a very fine net from a garden centre which seemed to do the job we also thought about using some kind of fine wire mesh if u can find it that fine: victory:


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## Sollytear (Aug 7, 2008)

The simplest way is to put ur breeding tank in some water. U know, put a moat arround it style. Any escapies get drowned. That and the tights are all you can do!


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## DJH1 (Nov 13, 2007)

Material works fine for me, i've bred oodles and had no mass escapes - only when i drop em! I use v. fine, cheap net curtains from a well known Scandinavian home store. Bought 2 sets for 4 quid and am using yrs later. So long as they're not competing too hard for food, and conditions of the medium are good, they don't want to go anywhere till they're ready to change stage.


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## LouiseK (Mar 17, 2007)

Yeh - a bit of cloth will do.

Some vaseline might help but it needs to be so thin that it is hardly there or else they'll drown in it.


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## Lounmatt (Jul 3, 2008)

thanks everyone i will try some material then, and just hope they dont end up up the walls thankyou :2thumb:


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## fantapants (Jan 4, 2008)

what temps doyoukeep them at? i am just trying to breed them but am worried it may be too warm inmy airing cupboard. and what did you ise on the bottom? did you need to change it at all?


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## Lounmatt (Jul 3, 2008)

I dont no the temps but i keep them in my rep room so its fairly warm, i think if they are not heated then they will just take a bit longer, mine are kept on crushed wheatabix, honey and a little calcium and vitamin powder to gut load, mine have just hatched but i will add more if it runs low, good luck with yours :2thumb:


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