# Breeding and selling Silkworms



## kruella (Feb 9, 2012)

Hi everyone!!

I am looking into breeding and selling Silkworms as I cant seem to find many suppliers about.

Would I need a license or insurance to do this?

I cant seem to find any info anywhere!!!!!

thankyou


----------



## Queenfreak (Oct 12, 2010)

No idea, but we need more silkworm suppliers.


----------



## kruella (Feb 9, 2012)

thanks 

i am actually in process of setting up a colony so will be up and running very soon!!!
***fingers crossed******

:2thumb:


----------



## heatherjhenshaw (Jan 30, 2010)

If you do let me know, I've been trying to find somewhere to buy some, they seem as rare as hens teeth :devil:


----------



## kruella (Feb 9, 2012)

I will do, are we allowed to advertise on here??

iam so excited!!! jus dont want to get the lil hatchlings then love them so much i dnt want to sell them! haha

:lol2:


----------



## heatherjhenshaw (Jan 30, 2010)

kruella said:


> I will do, are we allowed to advertise on here??
> 
> iam so excited!!! jus dont want to get the lil hatchlings then love them so much i dnt want to sell them! haha
> 
> :lol2:


A lot of people sell mealworms, roaches and other insects so I can't see why silkworms would be any different, maybe someone more experienced has more knowledge though

You say you are setting up a colony, where did you get yours from? Don't worry I'm not going into competition :lol2:, not interested in selling them


----------



## kruella (Feb 9, 2012)

its ok  its www.silkwormstore.co.uk

he has a waiting list for tubbed silkworms but you can get colonies from him 

he seems genuine.

what pet you got? beardie?


----------



## heatherjhenshaw (Jan 30, 2010)

thanks, at the moment I have a crestie & a leopard gecko, but I'm getting a rankin dragon soon and I understand silk worms are great for them


----------



## montyboy (Jan 30, 2011)

kruella said:


> its ok  its www.silkwormstore.co.uk
> 
> he has a waiting list for tubbed silkworms but you can get colonies from him
> 
> ...


 

I've bought mine from www.butterworms.co.uk. got eggs and all seams to be going well,


----------



## jonnyboy86 (Jul 7, 2009)

they are hard to breed and rear, hence hardly anyone doing it! what you gonna feed the silkies? dry food or mulberry leaves?


----------



## kruella (Feb 9, 2012)

hmm will have a gander at the butterworms site, see what pricing they have too?

yes I have been reading loads on them and understand they are hard!!
but i have a pure passion for caring and rearing things even little caterpillers!!!

will be a combo of dried and fresh leaves, depends what i can get hold of

but i understand that its hard to switch them back to dried after theyv had fresh.

so will see!!


----------



## Miss Lily (Oct 3, 2008)

I have never had much luck when ordering silkies before, but late last year I got 250 eggs, which all decided to hatch at once on 16th December! I am now 2 weeks into pupation with about 50 or so and a lot more are spinning every day. Yes, they are hard work - it has taken me two hours some nights to clean all the tubs and feed them all! You have to keep everything really clean and not touch them with your bare hands. I have got through almost 2 bags of chow powder (I make up small amounts every few days) and that stuff isn't cheap either. It costs £12 per bag!:gasp: I would say, if you had patience then buy some eggs and raise your own!

I know how hard to get hold of silkworms are and I advertised some locally and nobody wanted them! Maybe I should have advertised on here instead! I hope to raise smaller numbers throughout the summer. It will be much more manageable to hatch 50 or 100 eggs at a time!

I found this blog really helpful if you are interested in raising some! It is quite fascinating, but they eat constantly and poop a LOT in the final instar!
Bombyx mori, the China Silkworm


----------



## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

Hello i have had them before and there are so many that just die. there not easy to clean and always get stuck when shedding.
I was thinking about breeding them on a large scale but knowing many people that do they say you loose 50-75% unless you feed fresh but to do that you would need hundreds of trees like silk farms do.
Powdered chow is so expensive and even if you buy bulk (1 tonne) its not cheap.
even importing chow from china or japan once you add in shipping fees-tax and so on its more money than you will see in a year of selling them.

There is not many people selling them because most people wont pay £5-£6 for 25 worms and with the price set so high on mulbery poweder because of its nutritional value its not going to get cheaper.

Good luck if you do it but there are loads of people that say they want something but them same people may change there mind once you get it.
I cant see them paying the price.


----------



## Polistes (Feb 20, 2012)

www.mulberryfarms.com DOES ship internationally, Though I believe its for silkworms and dry goods only. Just a thought for those looking for silkies.


----------



## kruella (Feb 9, 2012)

well i am now about a week or so away from being able to sell and i will be able to offer 20 medium silkies at £3.50. of course there will be a postage charge too.

website willl be up n running soon too so anyone interested let me know.

yes the yeild can be a little bit up and down but really all the lil silkies want is some love and attention to make sure they are 100% happy.

you just need to put in an 8 day week lol

:lol2:


----------



## Miss Lily (Oct 3, 2008)

kruella said:


> well i am now about a week or so away from being able to sell and i will be able to offer 20 medium silkies at £3.50. of course there will be a postage charge too.
> 
> website willl be up n running soon too so anyone interested let me know.
> 
> ...


Don't you just! They are quite time consuming!


----------



## Kuja (Dec 14, 2011)

:O avoided breeding silk worms as i have read they are a pain, will buy some however will await the site


----------



## kruella (Feb 9, 2012)

website up and running!!

please feel free to join the mailing list 

tubs will be ready monday 18th march for MEDIUM silkies

10 silkies taster pack - £2.50 (pp £1.98)
20 silkies - £3.50 (pp £1.98)

than kyou everyone


----------



## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

Hello is that only 10 worms for £4.40p it seems alot
how big are they XL
And whats your website called


----------



## Miss Lily (Oct 3, 2008)

I had mine on sale locally and was asking £5 for 20 large ones. Had no interest, but until you raise them yourself you don't realise how much time an effort goes into them! I am now breeding my moths and looking forward to not having to buy silkworms again for a long time!


----------



## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

I know how hard they are to breed as i have done it before but its alot fot 10 worms and if you sold 20 for £5 and had not much intrest it shows how people are not willing to pay it.
I looked at selling them a while back and offered them at 18p for small/medium and 23p for large/XL with no intrest.
Im not saying your charging too much money just that people dont have the money


----------



## kruella (Feb 9, 2012)

well to be honest i am new to all this and the taster pack was just a tester.

I am looking for any feedback from anyone and it will be appreciated

the website is www.silkwormfarm.co.uk

thought i had listed it.

I am in the process of adding some pics now that its up. seeing what ppl think.

a lot of other competetors are selling at £3.50 a tub of 20 and then £2.50 postage.

thanks

Kim


----------



## ExoticInsectsUK (Nov 15, 2008)

It looks good i would go on some chameleon forums as they will more likely pay for them being a large part of a chams diet


----------



## kruella (Feb 9, 2012)

website is up with PICTURES!!!!

had a price shuffle and can now offer 25 mediums for £3.98 (incl postage)

and then 50 mediums for £4.98 (incl postage)

you can also email me on the site if you want to organise a bred to order as I may run out lol

let me know what you all think 

thanks

Kim


----------



## Chameleoco (Jul 10, 2009)

hi Kim 
your site looks great, we will be definitely interested,we cant get enough silkworms how many do you have ready?we need lots:2thumb:
cheers jamie


----------



## Kuja (Dec 14, 2011)

Hi kim, just wanted to post and say i ordered some a little while back and they were all fine, so thanks for that :d will be ordering more soon, fatty dragon ate them all really fast lol.

so thanks again


----------



## kruella (Feb 9, 2012)

thanks Kuja!
glad they were enjoyed 

will post when I have more available 

thanks

Kim


----------

