Did you gather leaves leaves from a mulberry tree for your silkworms, and saved the hearts they spin?

Question

Did you gather leaves leaves from a mulberry tree for your silkworms, and saved the hearts they spin?

Answer 1

Yup I had silkworms. I loved the rare Zebras. I did not try the cardboard heart trick. And I never gave them beetroot leaves to make them spin pink threads. The thought made me feel too guilty trying to force them to eat something I imagined they hate. My heart broke for the moth that did not find a partner and died without 'joining'

People in other countries raise their eyebrows at this strange South African custom.

Lark: the pupa would have survived if wrapped in tissue.

Lise K: I also jumped fences and walls at night trying to feed my poor silkworms. I was constantly in trouble. While receiving a hiding, my thoughts were still jumping fences finding the next tree.

Answer 2

Yes but I used to steal the leaves as we did not have a mulberry tree. Still have them, hearts, circles and squares.

Answer 3

Yes I did. I also fed them some beetroot leaves and their silk turned pinkish. Lettuce leaves gave the silk a greenish fluorescent colour. To spin your hearts or shapes you shouldn't use just one worm. Let each one just spin for a little while and then they still have enough silk left to make their cocoons.

Answer 4

I tried that once and then I found out that the silkworms need their silk for their cocoons, so they can survive. I felt so guilty for causing their deaths, that I never did it again.

Answer 5

I did long ago in pre school, I hid them in my room and when my mom found them she almost passed out and they wound up tossed in the garden, which i suppose was a better home for them than my 5 roses teabag box...

Answer 6

Lol Honey we had a Mulberry tree,and yep I did feed them with the leaves,I had so many and so small WIT MUISE,until one escaped and got in my Mom's linen cuboard,h**l I were not very popular after that,my Dad had to build me an outdoor  Zoo for my animals!!!xxxx

Answer 7

Yes, we all did. In fact, my mother was more fascinated by the worms than we were.  The zebras were the favourites.  We had many shapes, and I still have some in my old school dictionaries and one in the bible.  We always took pity on the worms because they never seemed to want to eat the beetroot leaves, so they went back onto mulberry. Luckily we had a tree in the garden.

When my childdren had their silkworms, we had to drive many a times through Somerset West looking for a tree to swipe some leaves.  Then at last we found a tree that belonged to no one just above the railway line near the station, growing near a big sloot (for those who need to find some leaves next spring)