# Raising hornworms



## Israel2004 (Aug 18, 2005)

Been searching and searching and have found all the info I need to raise hornworms but nothing on how to make a diet for hornworms. Can anybody give me a recipe or a link to a recipe for hornworm chow.

Thanks,
Israel


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## Stylopidae (Aug 18, 2005)

http://www.entm.purdue.edu/Entomology/outreach/recipe/manduca.diet.htm


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## Mister Internet (Aug 18, 2005)

Judging from my garden, they love tomato leaves


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## galeogirl (Aug 18, 2005)

I always find it amusing that this is one of the only hobbies that encourages the intentional breeding of pests: termites, hornworms, mealworms, etc.


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## Bigboy (Aug 18, 2005)

Hey why not, hornworms get huge and are excellent feeders for herps and inverts.  Heck my cousin even feeds the ones he finds in his garden to his chickens


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## galeogirl (Aug 18, 2005)

I wasn't saying that I wasn't giving the idea of growing my own hornworms some thought; it just amuses me.

Back when I lived out in the country, I used to go out every day in search of craneflies and their larvae because my geckos, chameleons, and ts couldn't get enough of them.


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## Israel2004 (Aug 18, 2005)

Mister Internet said:
			
		

> Judging from my garden, they love tomato leaves



True, they do love tomato, but tomato is toxic to reptiles, so an artifical diet is needed and I know they are out there, but not exact recipes. All I've been able to find are lists of what's in the diet.

Edit: Ah just followed link. Thanks Evil Cheshire.


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## james (Aug 18, 2005)

*silkworms*

Is there a similiar formula out there for silkworms? Want to try and breed them, but the cost of food is crazy and no room for new trees.
Thx,
James
www.blaberus.com


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## Israel2004 (Aug 18, 2005)

James,

I believe there a recipe somewhere on beardeddragon.org in the feeding forum, it's a bearded dragon site. You have some happy customers over in their feeding forum. And i've been told by the people other there you can use silk worm chow for hornworms.

So if you find a silk recipe on that site please share, and if I find it I'll link it.

link to beardeddragon.org 
http://www.beardeddragon.org/bjive/index.php?sid=efb34eb6ac2a5cc6817f310e1f3168c8


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## GoTerps (Aug 18, 2005)

I've fed these to my spiders with great results, and do plan sometime in the future (when I get around to it!) to keep a culture going myself.

These links may help a little.

HERE  (Pdf file)

and The Manduca Project  HERE


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## Stylopidae (Aug 19, 2005)

Hey, Israel2004, keep me posted by PM how it works out. I'm interested in rearing some of these for myself


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## james (Aug 19, 2005)

*Thanks.*

Good stuff GoTerps. One of these days once I get all my other projects (firebrats, micro mealworms, and roaches) completed I would like to try silk and horn worms. I need to invent something to stay awake 24/7 to do all this stuff!!.
James


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## Bigboy (Aug 21, 2005)

If I'm not mistaken tomato hornworms will eat anything in the nightshade family.


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## Stylopidae (Aug 21, 2005)

But they store toxins from their host plants. Tomato leaves are very toxic, as are the rest of the nightshade family.


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## Digby Rigby (Aug 22, 2005)

*Feeding Hornworms*

You can feed hornworms very small unripe tomatoes small and green.  You may aksi feed them bell peppers and other solonacious plants.  They dont seem to like the ripe tomatoes or the larger green ones too much.  It is the leaves and plant that is toxic not the fruit.  Also there is a way to avoid chow and store mulberry leaves that will last until they come in season again.  

Digby Rigby

DigbyRigby@exoticfeeders.com

http://exoticfeeders.com

Something of a phenomenon turn your body and come along


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## Rowdy Hotel (Feb 23, 2010)

I believe wild hornworms collect toxins from the plants they eat therefore you should never feed wild hornworms to your pets, jsut in case anyone was thinking of doing that.


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## sharpfang (Feb 23, 2010)

*Unless Captive Bred & Raised on Specified Diets*

Both True and False.........Respectfully.

Kinda like Poison-Dart Frogs......Safe on captive diet, after generations...:}

I used to feed lots of captive silks and horns to my Chameleons, they can be found @ shows, on-line, and most elementary schools in Spring. 

Hornworms are cool when 4"+  I like their horn - Jason


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## bugmankeith (Mar 3, 2010)

This is where I buy my hornworms and diet. http://www.mulberryfarms.com/store/...Path=2&zenid=8e6c805667231c902d234dec4689c93e


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