The silkworm goes through an interesting life cycle with four main stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Egg: The journey of a silkworm starts as a tiny egg, laid by a female silk moth. These eggs are usually oval and white or yellowish-gray. Depending on the temperature, they can take about 7 to 10 days to hatch.
Larva: When the egg hatches, out comes a tiny caterpillar, which is the larval stage of the silkworm. These caterpillars are very important because they produce silk. They love to eat and munch on lots of mulberry leaves. As they grow, they shed their skin several times, usually four or five times. This stage lasts the longest, about 20 to 33 days.
Pupa: After growing big, the silkworm stops eating and enters the pupal stage. It spins a protective cocoon around itself using a special liquid that turns into silk. This amazing process takes a few days. Inside the cocoon, the silkworm changes into an adult moth.
Adult: Finally, the adult silk moth comes out of the cocoon. Unlike the caterpillar, the adult moth cannot eat because it doesn’t have mouthparts. Its main job is to reproduce. The adult moth lives only for a short time, about 5 to 10 days. After mating, the female lays eggs, and the cycle begins again.
So, from a tiny egg to a silk-producing caterpillar, and finally to an adult moth, the silkworm's life cycle is full of fascinating changes.
🎉 Ready to turn your knowledge into cash? Dive into our fun and rewarding quizzes! REGISTER ON HAMROQUIZ TODAY 🎉
