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    NUTRITION

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    Ahurira Michael
    Silk is produced from the cocoons of the bombyx mori silkworm. The professor discussed the lifecycle of the bombyx mori silkworm, which involves mating, egg laying, larvae/worm stage where they spin cocoons, pupa stage, and emerging as adult moths. The silk production process interrupts the lifecycle at the cocoon stage, by selecting one thread from the cocoon and unravelling it to produce silk fiber. Proper cultivation of mulberry trees is also important to feed the silkworms.

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    NUTRITION

    Uploaded by

    Ahurira Michael
    7 views2 pages
    Silk is produced from the cocoons of the bombyx mori silkworm. The professor discussed the lifecycle of the bombyx mori silkworm, which involves mating, egg laying, larvae/worm stage where they spin cocoons, pupa stage, and emerging as adult moths. The silk production process interrupts the lifecycle at the cocoon stage, by selecting one thread from the cocoon and unravelling it to produce silk fiber. Proper cultivation of mulberry trees is also important to feed the silkworms.

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    Silk is produced from the cocoons of the bombyx mori silkworm. The professor discussed the lifecycle of the bombyx mori silkworm, which involves mating, egg laying, larvae/worm stage where they spin cocoons, pupa stage, and emerging as adult moths. The silk production process interrupts the lifecycle at the cocoon stage, by selecting one thread from the cocoon and unravelling it to produce silk fiber. Proper cultivation of mulberry trees is also important to feed the silkworms.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    7 views2 pages

    NUTRITION

    Uploaded by

    Ahurira Michael
    Silk is produced from the cocoons of the bombyx mori silkworm. The professor discussed the lifecycle of the bombyx mori silkworm, which involves mating, egg laying, larvae/worm stage where they spin cocoons, pupa stage, and emerging as adult moths. The silk production process interrupts the lifecycle at the cocoon stage, by selecting one thread from the cocoon and unravelling it to produce silk fiber. Proper cultivation of mulberry trees is also important to feed the silkworms.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Silk and Silkworms

    Dr. Marian Goldsmith, Professor, URI


    February 25, 2015

    Summary by Emily Huber

    Silk is one of the most expensive fibers. Due to its cost and the tedious production
    process, it is considered a luxury textile. A presentation by Professor Marian Goldsmith,
    a biologist, divulged the details of silk worms and silk production. She began the
    presentation with a brief history of silk production. Silk originated in China in the year
    4900 B.C. According to myth and legend, princess Hsi-Ling-Shih discovered silk fiber
    when a cocoon fell into her cup of tea and began to unravel. For 3,000 years silk
    production was considered a national secret, at pain of death if exposed. Eventually, the
    trade spread along the Silk Road. Sericulture developed in Japan, Korea, and India. The
    “secret” spread to Constantinople, and then Europe.
    There are many types of silkworms, some of which were naturally selected and
    some of which were bred for specific traits. The most common domesticated silkworm is
    the bombyx mori. Silk produced by wild silk worms is referred to as “Tussar” or “Eri”
    silk. The cocoons are procured in nature, rather than in a factory, a laboratory, or a farm.
    What makes the bombyx mori unique is that the adult moth cannot fly. This makes the
    breeding process easier as they are generally sedative and are less likely to escape.
    The life cycle for the bombyx mori begins with the mating process. The moth
    then lays eggs. The bombyx mori produces significantly more eggs than wild variations
    due to human selection. The eggs hatch in 10 days, becoming larvae. The larvae are the
    worm-like critters that spin cocoons. They go through a 4-stage molting process called
    the metamorphosis. Once they construct their cocoons they turn from larvae to chrysalis
    or pupa. It takes two weeks for the chrysalis to develop into an adult moth. When they are
    ready to hatch, the bugs excrete an enzyme that breaks down the walls of their cocoon
    and they force themselves out. When they spread their wings, they are full, adult moths.
    The process for silk production interrupts the life cycle at the cocoon phase.
    Silkworms produce their cocoons with silk threads. These threads are composed of
    sericin and fibroin proteins, which are produced in the silk gland and ejected through a
    spinneret at the larvae’s head. One thread is selected from the cocoon and it is unraveled
    to create strands of silk fiber. There is a 4-step process for silk production. The first step
    is to dry the cocoons. The second step is to degum the silk, which involves removing the
    layer of sericin. The amount of degumming that takes place will define the quality of the
    silk such as the absorbency and feel, also known as “scroop.” The silk is then reeled and
    thrown to create spools of silk thread. These are known as “hanks.”
    One important factor to silk production is the cultivation of mulberry trees as food
    for the silkworm. The silkworm eats exclusively mulberry leaves. The nutrients in the
    tree are vital to the survival of the silkworm. If one is to practice sericulture, then one
    must also procure mulberry trees. In order to produce a 60kg bale of raw silk, one would
    need 45 acres of mulberry trees to feed the silkworms. Yet, 12kg of raw silk would
    produce around 27 kimonos. A great deal goes into the production of silk, which is why it
    remains one of the most luxurious and expensive textiles on the market.

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