Question

Describe briefly how silkworms are reared?

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

Rearing of Silkworm: In the beginning, the female silk moth lays hundreds of eggs. Then eggs are stored over a clean paper or piece of cloth. These eggs are then sold to the silkworm farmers. Then the farmers then keep the eggs under the accurate temperature and humidity at a clean place.then They are warmed to the most appropriate temperature to hatch eggs to produce larvae or caterpillar. This process is done when the mulberry trees have fresh crop of leaves. The caterpillar eats this mulberry leaves day and night and it grows in size.

Bamboo trays are used to keep these caterpillars and some freshly chopped mulberry leaves are kept in the tray. After 30-40 days approximately the caterpillars stop eating the leaves and then it moves inside the small chambers in the bamboo trays to spin cocoons. These are produce by the secretion of liquid protein from their salivary glands. Small racks are given in the trays so that the cocoons get attached to those racks. Silk moths are developed inside the cocoons.

Processing Silk from Cocoons: These cocoons are used to obtain silk threads. When the cocoons are exposed to the sun or steam or boiled, the silk fib gets separated. This process of getting silk threads from the cocoons to use it as a silk fabric is known as reeling of the silk. Reeling of the silk is carried out by special machines. These machines unwind the fibers of silk or threads from the cocoon. Silk fibers are then converted into silk threads to make different kinds of silk fabrics like silk sarees, etc. by the weavers.