You let loose a bunch of these caterpillars in a field and within a few days there’ll be absolutely nothing left of it these caterpillars eat like crazy around three to four times a day and they can Chow Down a whopping 50.000 times their own weight every year in India they wipe out somewhere between 420 billion and one trillion of these caterpillars but guess what they’re not disappearing not even close in fact their numbers are going up but here’s the question if things are so serious why hasn’t anyone anything about these invasive caterpillars in India why itn’t the couintry raising the alarm and asking for some help let’s dive into it and figure what’s going on.
ou minght be wonderingif it’s a good idea to put all those caterpillars to use for example eat them but first we need to figure out the type of caterpillars we’re talking about here let me introduce you to the Future silkworm a creature that’s all about producing silk now silk isn’t just about Cozy Fabrics it has a fascinating history of being used for other purposes too back in the day people used if for making parachutes bike tires and gunpowder bags nowadays soak is used for making things like making things like medical sutures disposable cups and even systems for delivering medications.

What are silkworms?

Silkworms are tiny worms that spin their own silk cocoons. The scientific name for silkworms is Bombyx mori, which means “silkworm of the mulberry tree.” They have been raised to produce fabric for thousands of years and can no longer be found in the wild.
Silkworms begin as wormlike larvae with the three distinct body parts of an insect. After spending time in a cocoon, the silkworm morphs into a scaly, four-winged moth.
Silkworms eat the leaves of the mulberry tree or can exist on an artificial diet. They also eat the leaves of the tree known as the Tree of Heaven.
Silkworms now depend on silk producers, laboratories and schoolchildren to propagate the species. In their domestication, the moths lost the ability to fly, so wild populations no longer exist.

Information about silkworms

Silkworm pupae are the third of four stages of mulberry silk: egg – caterpillar – silkworm pupa – caterpillar. In the silkworm pupa stage, they have all the parts of an adult mulberry silkworm but do not have enough extra limbs. Silkworm pupae only use stored food.
In traditional medicine, silkworm pupae are fatty, sweet, salty, neutral and non-toxic. Silkworm pupae are used as a medicine equivalent to velvet ginseng with laxative effects. In real life, silkworm pupae are often used as food because of their characteristic fatty and fleshy flavor that helps supplement nutrition for the body.
Silkworm pupae contain many nutrients. In 100g of silkworm pupae, it will provide 206 calories, 79.7 grams of water, 13 grams of protid, 6.5g of lipids, many vitamins including: A, B1, B2, PP, C, minerals such as calcium, phosphorus,… and amino acids such as valine, tyrosine, tryptophan,… have many benefits for human health.

Life cycle of silkworm

The life cycle of silkworms includes the following stages:
Eggs: Eggs are laid on plant leaves by a moth, and are about the size of small dots. A female moth can lay more than 350 eggs. In spring, the eggs hatch thanks to the warmth of the air
Silkworm pupae: After cracking, the eggs will develop into silkworms. Silkworm pupae will eat mulberry leaves to develop, consuming large amounts of mulberry leaves for about 30 days before transitioning to the cocoon stage.
Cocoon: Silkworm pupae create a protective cocoon around themselves, similar in size to a small cotton ball, and this cocoon is made from only a single silk strand.
Adult silkworm: Silkworm pupae will be motionless. To harvest silk, people kill the pupae by dipping the cocoon in boiling water and pulling out the silk thread
Butterfly: Silkworm transforms into an adult moth. The female butterfly then continues to lay eggs after mating and repeats its life cycle.

Types of silkworms today

There are more than 20,000 known types of silkworms in the world. Among them, 4 commonly known types include:
– Mulberry silkworm: The most exploited type of silkworm, accounting for 95% of world silk production
– Castor silkworm with cassava leaves
– Oak silkworm
– Silkworm carving

Characteristics of silk

Silk is a natural fiber that has been used as a raw material in the textile industry for a long time. Silk is a premium product, of higher quality than many other products. Silk is formed from the cocoon release of silkworms that eat mulberries. In particular, Fibroin is the basic material, accounting for 75% of silk composition.
Silk is the thinnest natural silk with a cross-section similar to a triangle and a high gloss. Silk is usually white or cream in color, wild silk is brown, orange-yellow or blue. Silk has high durability, only losing about 20% of its durability in the wet state, has moderate abrasion resistance, is light and easily wrinkled.
Silk has the ability to absorb water and evaporate very well. Therefore, silk is often loved in clothing choices to absorb sweat all day long.

Uses of silkworms in life

Silkworms are insects that have many uses in human life, including:
Silk production: Silk is known as a natural, high-quality silk used in the textile industry, interior decoration, production of medical and protective products, etc.
Food: Silkworm pupae are used as a nutrient-rich food source. Silkworm pupae are loved for their unique, fatty flavor.
Oriental medicine remedy: In oriental medicine, silkworm pupae are used as a remedy with laxative effects, prevent rickets in children , support the treatment of bone and joint diseases, kidney diseases and increase male vitality, etc. .The fabric we call silk is made from the long thin fibers produced by the silkworm during its larval stage. The insect’s intent is to create a cocoon for its transformation into the moth form. Silkworm workers simply unravel the cocoons, each cocoon producing between 325–1,000 feet (100–300 meters) of fine, very strong thread.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNvRBI1Yky8