Domesticated silk moth
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
| phylum | Arthropoda | The silkworm is the larva of the domesticated silk moth, Bombyx mori. It is economically important as a producer of silk. Its preferred food is white mulberry leaves. Domestic silk moths are dependent on humans for reproduction as a result of 5,000 years of selective breeding from wild Chinese stock. Silk moths have a wingspan of 3–5 cm (1.2–2.0 in) and a white, hairy body. Females are about two to three times bulkier than males, for they are carrying many eggs. About 2,000 to 3,000 cocoons are required to make a pound of silk (0.4 kg). At least 70 million pounds of raw silk are produced each year, requiring nearly 10 billion pounds of cocoons.
For more information see the Wikipedia entry.
|
| class | Insecta | |
| order | Lepidoptera | |
| family | Bombycidae | |
| genus | Bombyx | |
| species | B. mori |
