I came across your page about giant silk moth host plants and was very excited, since I’ve been volunteering as a local park steward here in Guelph, ON and have planted many of those species.
I wondered though- as someone who raises moths do you keep the spent cocoons? Has anyone tried to spin with them or is the name giant silk moth a misnomer?
any info on this is much appreciated since I am also a fiber artist and would love to know if there’s a native source of silk as a byproduct of bug rearing
Hi Maria! Thanks for your comments! One thing I do know is that the species Philosamia cynthia, from China, was imported into the United States in the 1800s for that purpose and it did not work out. I am not sure why but if I had to guess, their silk is too tightly spun to be of any use (unlike an actual silk moth).
davethebugguy.org 
hello David!
I came across your page about giant silk moth host plants and was very excited, since I’ve been volunteering as a local park steward here in Guelph, ON and have planted many of those species.
I wondered though- as someone who raises moths do you keep the spent cocoons? Has anyone tried to spin with them or is the name giant silk moth a misnomer?
any info on this is much appreciated since I am also a fiber artist and would love to know if there’s a native source of silk as a byproduct of bug rearing
many thanks!
Maria
Hi Maria! Thanks for your comments! One thing I do know is that the species Philosamia cynthia, from China, was imported into the United States in the 1800s for that purpose and it did not work out. I am not sure why but if I had to guess, their silk is too tightly spun to be of any use (unlike an actual silk moth).