How Silk Produced from Silkworm

Silk is officially obtained from an insect known as the silkworm. The scientific name of the silkworm is Bombyx Mori. The first production of silk materials started in China. Nowadays, there are so many clothes and other products that are made from silk. It can be said without a doubt that silk is one of the most popular materials these days. Hence, it is really important for people to know how silk is obtained from silkworms. The process is explained in this article and that too in a comprehensive manner.

How Silk is Made from Silkworms? - Little Details About the Product

We all are familiar with the fact that China was the country that started the production of silk in the first place. Hence, silk can be said to have the first tag of “Made in China” for sure. Hence, this product becomes more important for people to know about. We are going to talk about how silk is obtained from a cocoon. Silk can be defined as a fiber product made of natural protein for sure. The larvae of certain insects that belong to a specific species of caterpillars are the creators of silk in the first place.

The main component that is present in silk tends to be named fibroin. When it comes to the different varieties of silk, there are quite a few names that come to mind. Some of the names that are included in the different types of silk are Tsar silk, Mulberry silk, Eri silk, and Muga silk. We are going to have a detailed study about the process of how silk is obtained from silkworms in the best way. Hence, people are going to get a lot of details right here.

How is Silk Produced from the Body of the Silkworm?

One of the most important things to keep in mind about the entire process of how is silk obtained from a cocoon is that the silkworm tends to live up to just 2-3 days. The eggs that are produced by the female version of the silkworm are about 400 in total. The female will lay the eggs on the different leaves of the Mulberry tree. After a period of about 10 days in total, there is the formation of insects or larvae in these eggs that have been laid by the female silkworm. During the period of about 30-40 days in total, the entire process of growth tends to take place. The larvae are elongated during that time and are more magnified as well as sloppy.

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After the formation of the female insect or the larvae, there is a singular thread that protrudes from the head of the silkworm and it wraps itself around it for 3 days in total. The spinning of the head is what makes the entire solution wrap all over the insect in the first. The single thread when covering the entire body of the larvae is known as the cocoon or the Koya. The cocoon is basically a protective shell or case that will have the silkworm inside of it. When the thread has any contact with the air, it will automatically solidify. The length of the silk thread that comes from the body of the larvae is more than 1000 meters at a time. After this process, if completed the larvae will be then converted properly into a thing known as the Pupa.

During the stage where the cocoon is considered to be the Pupa, there are different larval structures that are produced in the body of the silkworm. These structures then properly get converted into certain adult structures that are formed and hence the caterpillar will be then converted into a proper moth as well. The cocoon in which the worm is present will then be particularly useful when it comes to protecting the pupa from the unfriendly as well as harsh weather conditions that are outside. These details are particularly important if one needs to know how silk is made from silkworms.

It is seen in the usual cases that the insects tend to spin the cocoon around them in order to stay protected from the wintery seasons. The insects then stay inside the cocoon until the winter season is over and that too without any water or food. This particular stage is known as the stage of sleeping for insects. This is when the silkworm will stay protected from the harsh weather as well. Hence, there is simply not a single speck of doubt about the fact that the silk that is produced from the body of the silkworm is basically done after the cocoon has been harvested by the people. This is an art that is known as Sericulture or the art of harvesting silk from silkworms.

During the period of about 12-15 days of the formation of the cocoon, the pupa becomes completely transformed and changes into the silkworm. The silkworm then comes out of the cocoon with the help of a particular alkaline solution that helps in cutting the Koya from a particular side. This is something that makes the entire thread of silk break into smaller pieces in the first place. So, it is important to keep in mind that the Koya needs to be put into water that is boiling before the silkworm escapes the cocoon. Hence, the silkworm that is present in the cocoon will die inside and hence will segregate the thread. This method is really helpful in the production of silk. Furthermore, it is important to note that silk is one of the most important materials that are used for the production of clothes.

How to Produce Silk without Killing Silkworms?

When it comes to producing the silk in a natural way, it always involves the killing of the silkworm inside the cocoon that it creates for itself. The silkworm is not allowed to escape the Koya or the cocoon because it will then segregate the thread and the silk will break down into certain smaller pieces. This destroys the property of silk and hence people will not be able to use it. However, there are some people who have been trying to find out how to produce silk without killing silkworms. There is a type of silk known as the Ahimsa silk that can be used for the production of silk without actually killing the silkworms in the first place.

Ahimsa silk is basically one way of non-violent production of silk as well as harvesting it as well. The Wild Moths that produce the silk are bred in a place and that is done in a synthetic manner and not the domestic manner. Hence, the entire process of metamorphosis is completed and the silkworm is allowed to escape the cocoon before the entire process of harvesting takes place.

Some Interesting Facts About Silk

Here are some interesting facts about silk that will blow your mind away.

• Silk was one of the first products that were produced in China. Hence this product can be said to have the first tag of “Made in China”.

• India is still one of the very first countries that tend to have all the different kinds of silk that are produced all over the world. Hence, the most variety of silk products is found particularly in this country.

• Silk is able to provide protection to a person from mosquitoes for sure. Silk can be pretty difficult to penetrate and hence you will be able to avoid bites from mosquitoes.

• Silk is also one of the materials that are hypoallergenic in nature. So, if someone has sensitive skin, the natural fiber that is made of protein can be the best option for people.

Conclusion

These are some of the important details about how silk is produced by the body of the silkworm. The process is known as Sericulture and silk is one of the best materials that is used for creating clothes.