Question

What plants do the silk eggs live on as they hatch?
Options-
A. Raspberry leaves
B. Pin Oak tree bark
C. Palm tree branches
D. Mulberry leaves

Answer 1

Hint: Silkworms are the only source of extracting natural silk fibers. The fiber is actually obtained from cocoons that are nothing but balls made up of a long thread of raw silk. Instead of manual segregation, the cocoons are boiled in water to separate the fibers.

Complete answer:
Silkworm is the larva or the immature form of the silk moth. The female silkworms lay a large number of eggs (about three to four hundred eggs) at a time. These eggs are sensitive to the drastic conditions of the atmosphere and are therefore protected by a gelatinous secretion that makes the surface of the leaves sticky on which the eggs are laid.
Silkworms specifically lay their eggs on the surface of Mulberry leaves. The main reason for the attraction of silkworms towards a particular plant is that the leaves of the mulberry plant are the primary food source necessary for their survival. Studies have shown that the volatiles and odour associated with a mulberry plant effectively attracts silkworms.
The cocoon that covers the silkworms is the main source of silk and therefore they are boiled in water to kill the silkworms and segregate the tiny silk fibers which are further processed in industries.

So, the correct answer is “Option D”.

Note:
The eggs of a silkworm must be stored in a cool place so as to prevent damage due to heat. If optimum temperature conditions are maintained then larvae can be produced from the eggs within a time period of fifteen days.