Silk Worms

O.K. so having 4 kids isn't enough. For the sake of "science" we took on 35 silk worms. Now don't be decieved, this is our second batch. Last year we got them in their moth stage, they laid their eggs and we waited. Striving for a semi-presentable home, I put the eggs (which were securely fastened to a cardboard) on top of the microwave. Fast forward 3 months or so..... I picked up some 'masterpiece' off of the microwave and found that some of our poor little silk worms had hatched underneath- well the eggs that weren't totally squished.... Oops.

Now if therapy was all they needed Payton would have had it covered. "We're sorry little worms. We will try and get you some food.... Mom just didn't know you had hatched.... " (Luckily my kids don't need to bury things that I accidently kill, otherwise we would have ran out of backyard a couple of years ago). Let's just say I don't do well with 'pets' that don't tell me they are hungry. Fish, plants, any type of bug... you get the picture.... Silk worms have a very specific appetite- only non flowering Mulberry leaves. (Can you believe there is something that is pickier than a 4 year old boy....)

So before 'trying again' I made sure we knew where our local supply of Mulberry leaves were. I would tell you but I am not sure if this would constitute as stealing (or breaking a commandment as Payton would say...... ) and my kids need me out of prison for awhile. Let me tell you, these little guys have incredible appetites and we could barely keep up. It wasn't until Kevin ripped off a branch (or two....) that we actually got ahead. It is pretty amazing to see their little mouths chewing those leaves. (I pretty much avoided all manner of insects prior to this until I had kids that kept bringing them to me, so this is still pretty novel.)

Anyway, as of today, we have only had one death (suprise, suprise.... and Madison thinks it is the one that Alex knocked on the floor....) and 6 have 'cocooned'. Hooray. We will keep you posted!

P.S. For those of you who are wondering, I have not touched them.... when I did need to move one to the egg carton to cocoon, I used a wooden skewer. :)