Sericulture

Sericulture or silk production is the breeding and management of silkworms for the commercial production of silk. Sericulture is an important industry in Japan, China, India, Italy, France and Spain.

Source of silk – The silkworm

The silkworm is the larva or the caterpillar of the moth Bombyx mori (popularly called the silk moth) the total life history of the moth (from egg to adult takes 50 days. The different stages are as follows:

(i) Egg 10 days

(ii) Larva (4 Stages) 30 days

(iii) Pupa (Cocoon) 10 days

(i) Adult

The adult silk moth is a creamy white moth that has a flat body and a wing expanse of about 5 cm. It

takes no food and seldom attempts to fly. It lives for only 2 to 3 days. After mating, the female moth

lays 300-500 eggs on the leaves of the mulberry tree.

(ii) Eggs

The eggs are round and yellowish-white, and they become grey as hatching time approaches.

(iii) Larvae

The newly hatched larva is about 3 mm long and somewhat black. The larvae grow in size and shed their skin (molt) four times. Each growing stage of the caterpillar consumes la ot of mulberry leaves. The last stage full-grown larva is about 7 cm long. It has a hump behind the head and a spine-like horn at the tail end. When fully grown, the mature larva stops feeding, climbs on a twi,g and spins a cocoon.

(iv) Pupa

The full-grown larva pupates inside the cocoon. In about 10-day time it transforms into a winged adult. The adult moth makes an opening in the cocoon and escapes through it.