Question

Silk is produced by

Answer 1

Hint: Silk is a luxurious fabric. It is a natural protein and is used in the generation of high-quality silk garments. Fine quality-silk is obtained from a caterpillar which majorly feeds on mulberry leaves. Sericulture is the culturing method of these worms’ for the production of silk.
Complete step-by-step answer: Silk is an animal produced protein fiber. It is produced by an insect belonging to phylum- Arthropoda and Family- Bombycidae. There are different types of silk which are produced by various insects. All of these insects are commonly known as Silkworms. The scientific name of these worms is -Bombyx mori which is also known as the silkworm of the mulberry tree. These worms majorly feed on mulberry tree leaves and produce the finest quality of silk which has long life and is very breathable.
Bombyx mori is about 4 cm tall, pale brown in color, having brown marks on the thorax. While the larvae are making their cocoons, they secrete the insoluble protein known as fibroin with some amount of soluble gum which binds all the fibroin fibers together forming a single cocoon. This fibroin is the silk that is secreted by the silk glands of the silkworm. The cocoon when opened up completely, yields around 300-900 meters of silk fiber which is then spun into a yarn and then used for manufacturing of silk fabrics and garments.
Therefore, Silk is produced by silkworms.
Note: Different species of silkworm give different qualities of silk, for e.g.
-Samia Cynthis- It is the ailanthus silk moth which produces a coarse but durable type of silk and is a cheaper type of mulberry silk.
- Antheraea pernyi It is the Chinese tussah moth which produces a variety of wild silk known as tussah silk.