Commercial silk is produced on silkworm farms by boiling the cocoons. This means that many of the silkworms are killed in their cocoons before they can become moths. Some of the moths are allowed to emerge so they can continue the population of silkworms.

Silkworms wrap themselves in a cocoon made of raw silk after they have molted at least four times. This silk cocoon is made of one single thread of raw silk that ranges from 1,000 to more than 3,000 feet in length. The silk is produced in the salivary glands of the silkworm and it is used for protection during the silkworm’s pupal stage.

There are ways to help stop the unnecessary killing of silkworms. You can purachase “cruelty-free silk” called “peace silk.” Peace silk, also referred to as “vegetarian silk,” uses the process of degumming and spinning the raw silk to produce a soft, fluffy fabric that is excellent for warmth and therapy. This degumming and spinning process allows the moth to safely emerge from the cocoon and live out the remainder of its life cycle — in peace.

Other Facts About Silkworms

Silkworms produce one of the world’s most precious commodities—silk. A silkworm is the larva of the silk moth. Its favorite food is white mulberry and it has a very strong appetite. The silkworm is large in size and it has several other uses outside of producing silk. The silkworm is also a source of sustenance in some countries. It is a delicacy in places such as Korea and China. This means—consumption is the only way the silkworm could end up inside the human body. The silkworm is also used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat spasms, to relieve gas, and to rid the body of mucus or phlegm.

While silkworms can be found on silk farms all around the world, you can also raise (or rather, save) them right your own right at home. Silkworm eggs may be purchased from a number of online stores or directly from farms or growers. They typically arrive in a box and they should be transferred to an open container immediately. A wooden bowl will do just fine. Silkworm eggs may be kept in warm temperatures ranging from roughly 80-85 degrees and they should be kept out of direct sunlight. The air should be moist and the area where the eggs are kept should be well ventilated.

Silkworm eggs typically hatch within two weeks of arrival to your home and they will begin to eat immediately, so it’s best to have plenty of white mulberry on hand for them. How much the silkworm eats will determine the quality of and just how much silk it will produce, so keep them well fed and happy. When the eggs hatch, the larva will resemble a furry black worm, but as it begins to mature and molt, the color lightens to yellow or nearly white. If allowed to grow to its maximum size, the silkworm can grow up to three inches in length and a half-inch in diameter.

Silk worms enclose themselves in a cocoon made of raw silk after they have molted at least four times. This silk cocoon is made of one single thread of raw silk that can be anywhere from 1,000 to more than 3,000 feet in length. The silk is produced in the salivary glands of the silkworm and it is used for protection during the silk worms pupal stage. To produce commercial silk, the silk worms are killed in their cocoons before they have a chance to become moths. A few of the moths are allowed to emerge so that they can continue the population of silk worms.

Fortunately, cruelty-free silk does exist. Peace silk, also referred to as “vegetarian silk,” uses the process of degumming and spinning the raw silk to produce a soft, fluffy fabric that’s excellent for warmth and therapy. This degumming and spinning process allows the moth to safely emerge from the cocoon and live out the remainder of its life cycle — in peace. Vegetarians wear peace silk, and even some vegans purchase peace silk. Strict vegans may prefer not to wear clothing made from peace silk, but peace silk providers stand behind their cruelty-free products stating that no animal is harmed during the manufacturing process, period.

To purchase peace silk, please visit the following websites:

http://www.aurorasilk.com
, wholesale distributor of peace silk

http://www.indiamart.com/ahimsapeacesilk, peace silk market

About the Spectacular Silk Worm

The silk worm is significant to humans because it produces one of the world’s most precious commodities—silk. Because the silk worm is so precious, it is no longer found in nature. In fact, the silk worm is totally dependent on humans for reproduction.

A silk worm is the larva of the silk moth. Its favorite food is white mulberry and it has a very strong appetite. The silk worm is large in size and it has several other uses outside of producing silk. The silk worm is also a source of sustenance in some countries. It is a delicacy in places such as Korea and China. This means—consumption is the only way the silk worm could end up inside the human body. The silk worm is also used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat spasms, to relieve gas, and to rid the body of mucus or phlegm.

While silk worms can be found on silk farms all around the world, you can also raise them on your own right at home. Silk worm eggs may be purchased from a number of online stores or directly from farms or growers. They typically arrive in a box and they should be transferred to an open container immediately. A wooden bowl will do just fine. Silk worm eggs may be kept in warm temperatures ranging from roughly 80-85 degrees and they should be kept out of direct sunlight. The air should be moist and the area where the eggs are kept should be well ventilated.

Silk worm eggs typically hatch within two weeks of arrival to your home and they will begin to eat immediately, so it’s best to have plenty of white mulberry on hand for them. How much the silk worm eats will determine the quality of and just how much silk it will produce, so keep them well fed and happy. When the eggs hatch, the larva will resemble a furry black worm, but as it begins to mature and molt, the color lightens to yellow or nearly white. If left to flourish, the silk worm can grow up to three inches in length and around a half inch in diameter.

Silkworms wrap themselves in a cocoon made of raw silk after they have molted at least four times. This silk cocoon is made of one single thread of raw silk that ranges from 1,000 to more than 3,000 feet in length. The silk is produced in the salivary glands of the silkworm and it is used for protection during the silkworm’s pupal stage.

Because silk is considered one of the world’s most beautiful fabrics, it is estimated that approximately 75 million pounds of raw silk are produced each year. It takes more than 3,000 cocoons to make one pound of silk and more than 10 billion pounds of mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms that produce the silk. Commercial silk is produced by boiling the cocoons. This means that many of the silkworms are killed in their cocoons before they can become moths. Some of the moths are allowed to emerge so that these chosen few can continue the population of silkworms.

The good news is, you can help stop the unnecessary killing of silkworms by “cruelty-free silk.” It’s called “peace silk.” Peace silk, also referred to as “vegetarian silk,” uses the process of degumming and spinning the raw silk to produce a soft, fluffy fabric that is excellent for warmth and therapy. This degumming and spinning process allows the moth to safely emerge from the cocoon and live out the remainder of its life cycle — in peace.

About Silkworms

Silkworms are significant to humans because they produce one of the world’s most precious commodities—silk. Because the silkworm is so precious, it is no longer found in nature. In fact, the silkworm is totally dependent on humans for reproduction.

A silkworm is the larva of the silk moth. Its favorite food is white mulberry and it has a very strong appetite. The silkworm is large in size and it has several other uses outside of producing silk. The silkworm is also a source of sustenance in some countries. It is a delicacy in places such as Korea and China. This means—consumption is the only way the silkworm could end up inside the human body. The silkworm is also used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat spasms, to relieve gas, and to rid the body of mucus or phlegm.

While silkworms can be found on silk farms all around the world, you can also raise them on your own right at home. Silkworm eggs may be purchased from a number of online stores or directly from farms or growers. They typically arrive in a box and they should be transferred to an open container immediately. A wooden bowl will do just fine. Silkworm eggs may be kept in warm temperatures ranging from roughly 80-85 degrees and they should be kept out of direct sunlight. The air should be moist and the area where the eggs are kept should be well ventilated.

Silkworm eggs typically hatch within two weeks of arrival to your home and they will begin to eat immediately, so it’s best to have plenty of white mulberry on hand for them. How much the silkworm eats will determine the quality of and just how much silk it will produce, so keep them well fed and happy. When the eggs hatch, the larva will resemble a furry black worm, but as it begins to mature and molt, the color lightens to yellow or nearly white. If allowed to grow to its maximum size, the silk worm can grow up to three inches in length and around a half inch in diameter.

Worms and caterpillars have strong appetites. Worms eat so much that they typically produce excrement equal to their own weight every 24 hours. Some caterpillars have earned the name “pest” because in high enough numbers they can eat through entire fields of plants and flowers, killing the plants in the process.

Continue to the next section to learn how to tell the difference between caterpillars and worms.

Is it a Caterpillar or a Worm?

One of the most obvious differences between caterpillars and worms is caterpillars move around on three pairs of legs, while worms have no limbs at all. Worms move around by contracting their segments. Each segment has two pairs of hairs called setae. The setae help worms grip the soil or other materials. In general, worms and caterpillars move slowly. When faced by an attacker, however, they can move fairly quickly.

Caterpillars are often described as “wormlike” creatures, but the two have many similarities and differences. Two of the most obvious similarities between worms and caterpillars are: both worms and caterpillars have soft bodies, meaning they do not have a skeletal system, and both animals are nocturnal. Depending on the species worm, some caterpillars and worms may also be similar in length. Some caterpillars may grow up to three inches or more.

There are literally thousands of different species of worms and more than 2,700 species of earthworm alone. Like earthworms (annelida), caterpillars have segmented bodies. Another similarity between caterpillars and worms is caterpillars and worms are a favorite food for other animals. They are both protein rich and some worms, such as the white worm or “pasta worm”, are raised specifically for feeding to other animals such as fish. Worms and caterpillars are known for having hearty appetites. Their appetites are so hearty that they have earned the name “pest” by farmers around the globe. Depending on the type of worm or caterpillar, they can eat through crops of all kinds, plants, trash, and even inedible materials such as cotton.

Worms and caterpillars have to defend themselves against a wide variety of predators quite regularly. Because of this, each animal has no choice but to utilize a wide variety of techniques to ward off attacks. Worms protect themselves in several ways. If their attackers hunt for them below ground, worms will quickly withdraw into their burrows. If a worm finds itself face to face with a predator on the surface, the worm will thrash about, jump, and twist their bodies. Some worms may also spit and spew a foul smelling or foul tasting fluid.

The caterpillar is just as aggressive when it comes to defending itself. Caterpillars have long hairs or bristles on their bodies, which can detach and lodge into the skin or mucous membranes of the predator. In some caterpillars, the bristles contain poison from the caterpillar’s venom glands. This poison is so powerful that in the case of the South American silk moth, it can be fatal to human beings. Much like worms, caterpillars also spit juices and produce bad smells to ward off attackers. Caterpillars also have the ability to create a silk line and drop out of site if a predator approaches. How amazing is that?

The only types of worms that are a major concern for pet owners are parasitic worms such as the tapeworm, roundworm, hookworm, ringworm, and the deadly heartworm. Tapeworm, roundworm, and hookworm feed off the contents of the pet’s intestines. Ringworm affects the skin and heartworms grow and multiply in the heart, arteries, and lungs of pets making it the most deadly pet worm in the world. Fortunately, silk worms are not on the list of common pet parasites. Continue reading to learn more about the silk worm.

About the Silk Worm

The only time that silkworms do not produce silk is during the early life stages of this unique creature. Once they start spinning, there is no way to stop them. These valuable and amazing wonders can spin a cocoon that creates a silk thread measuring up to 600 meters (1,968 feet) in length.

While one single silkworm can create a silk thread measuring up to nearly 2,000 feet, it has to go through five instars or “stages” before it is ready to begin spinning this grand silk cocoon. In the first instar the silkworm caterpillars are black. In the second and third instars, they are grayish-white in color with black heads. In the fifth and final instar, the silkworm has a white head. In between each instar the silkworm rests and molts. In the fifth and final instar, the silkworm does 80% of it’s eating. At this point, the silk glands make up 25% of its body weight. It will take about a month for the silkworm caterpillar to grow big enough to spin a cocoon. The silkworm is ready to start spinning once it stops eating and turns a yellowish color. Just before they start spinning, the silkworm will make a wet, feces which helps rid its body of excess liquids. The cocoon-spinning process takes around three days to complete.

Fun Facts About Silk Worms

The silkworm isn’t really a worm—it’s a caterpillar!

People have used the silkworm for over 4,000 years to make silk.

The practice first began in China in about 2600 BC.

Outside of silk factories, silkworms are extinct. Silkworms are raised specificially for the silk threads they produce.

The practice of raising silkworms is called sericulture.

When fully grown, the silkworm reaches a length of about 5 to 7 centimeters (1.9-2.75 inches).

It takes about 25,000 cocoons to make half a kilogram of raw silk.

There are 600 silk weaving mills in China.

The vast majority of silk is produced in China and India. Roughly 60,000 tons of raw silk is made each year in these countries and a few others. In fact, there are 600 silk weaving mills in China.

A silk worm is the larva of the silk moth. Its favorite food is white mulberry and it has a very strong appetite. The silk worm is large in size and it has several other uses outside of producing silk. The silk worm is also a source of sustenance in some countries. It is a delicacy in places such as Korea and China. This means—consumption is the only way the silk worm could end up inside the human body. The silk worm is also used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat spasms, to relieve gas, and to rid the body of mucus or phlegm.

While silk worms can be found on silk farms all around the world, you can also raise them on your own right at home. Silk worm eggs may be purchased from a number of online stores or directly from farms or growers. They typically arrive in a box and they should be transferred to an open container immediately. A wooden bowl will do just fine. Silk worm eggs may be kept in warm temperatures ranging from roughly 80-85 degrees and they should be kept out of direct sunlight. The air should be moist and the area where the eggs are kept should be well ventilated.

Silk worm eggs typically hatch within two weeks of arrival to your home and they will begin to eat immediately, so it’s best to have plenty of white mulberry on hand for them. How much the silk worm eats will determine the quality of and just how much silk it will produce, so keep them well fed and happy. When the eggs hatch, the larva will resemble a furry black worm, but as it begins to mature and molt, the color lightens to yellow or nearly white. They grow up to three inches in length and around a half inch in diameter.

Silk worms enclose themselves in a cocoon made of raw silk after they have molted at least four times. This silk cocoon is made of one single thread of raw silk that can be anywhere from 1,000 to more than 3,000 feet in length. The silk is produced in the salivary glands of the silkworm and it is used for protection during the silk worms pupal stage.

Today, it is estimated that roughly 75 million pounds of raw silk are produced each year. It takes more than 3,000 cocoons to make one pound of silk and more than 10 billion pounds of mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms that produce the planets precious silk. Unfortunately, boiling the silk worm cocoons is how commercial silk is produced. This means that many of the silk worms are killed in their cocoons before they can become moths. Some of the moths are allowed to emerge so that these chosen few can continue the population of silk worms.

Fortunately, cruelty-free silk does exist. It’s called “peace silk.” Peace silk, also referred to as “vegetarian silk” uses the process of degumming and spinning the raw silk to produce a soft, fluffy fabric that is excellent for warmth and therapy. This degumming and spinning process allows the moth to safely emerge from the cocoon and live out the remainder of its life cycle — in peace.

Tent worms have a hairy body and they are bright-colored, with brilliant blue and dazzling yellow spots. In some cases, tent worms may become serious orchard pests, occurring in large numbers. When the tent worm occurs in large numbers they have the ability to defoliate entire trees and damage a significant amount of fruit. Many tent worms will live inside the tent, which is used for protection from the elements, such as rain and as protection during the evening hours. During daytime hours, the tent worms leave their silky homes and feed on the leaves in nearby branches.

The tent worm pupates within its home or cocoon. The adult emerges mid-summer as a reddish brown or gray, medium-sized moth. Its body is stout and hairy and it has feathery antennae. After the adult mates, it deposits several hundred eggs in bands around the twigs of the host tree. A thick, foamy brown crust and they cover the eggs over winter until the early spring. Once spring arrives and the eggs hatch, the larvae from several egg masses come together near a fork in a limb and form the tent by crawling about, and expelling silk.

While all tent worms create amazing cocoons, the most popular tent maker is the Eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum). The Eastern tent caterpillar is an orchard pest, and it has been linked to mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). MRLS causes healthy mares to experience high rates of aborted fetuses or stillborn foals. It is estimated that the rates are as high as 70%. In 2001 alone, one single outbreak of MRLS resulted in the loss of more than 5,000 foals in Kentucky.

Tent Worm Control

There are several effective methods of controlling tent worms. The most effective way to control tent worms is to remove the egg masses from trees during the winter or remove the tents in the early spring, then soak them in kerosene or burn them. Removing host trees can also eliminate caterpillar worm populations.

While one single silkworm can create a silk thread measuring up to nearly 2,000 feet, it has to go through five instars or “stages” before it is ready to begin spinning this grand silk cocoon. In the first instar the silkworm caterpillars are black. In the second and third instars, they are grayish-white in color with black heads. In the fifth and final instar, the silkworm has a white head. In between each instar the silkworm rests and molts. In the fifth and final instar, the silkworm does 80% of it’s eating. At this point, the silk glands make up 25% of its body weight. It will take about a month for the silkworm caterpillar to grow big enough to spin a cocoon. The silkworm is ready to start spinning once it stops eating and turns a yellowish color. Just before they start spinning, the silkworm will make a wet, feces which helps rid its body of excess liquids. The cocoon-spinning process takes around three days to complete.

Fun Facts About Silk Worms

The silkworm isn’t really a worm—it’s a caterpillar!

People have used the silkworm for over 4,000 years to make silk.

The practice first began in China in about 2600 BC.

Outside of silk factories, silkworms are extinct. Silkworms are raised specificially for the silk threads they produce.

The practice of raising silkworms is called sericulture.

When fully grown, the silkworm reaches a length of about 5 to 7 centimeters (1.9-2.75 inches).

It takes about 25,000 cocoons to make half a kilogram of raw silk.

There are 600 silk weaving mills in China.

The vast majority of silk is produced in China and India. Roughly 60,000 tons of raw silk is made each year in these countries and a few others. In fact, there are 600 silk weaving mills in China.

About the Larvae of the Case-Bearing Clothes Moth

The larvae of a case-bearing clothes moth look like worms and they are white in color. They carry around a “case” that can reach up to 10 mm in length — a case that’s usually made from a combination of self-made silk and the very materials they feed on. While the larvae consumes a hearty diet of dried plant and animal material outdoors, they also feed on carpets, clothing, and general debris in the household as well as dried cereal and vegetable matter. They are likely to feed on wool and cotton, but rarely will they feed on nylon, acrylic, or polyester. In fact, they prefer not to gnaw on any type of synthetic fibers.

The larvae or caterpillars of the case-bearing clothes moth are among the few insects that have the ability to digest the keratin of feathers and hairs. It’s insatiable appetite for fabric, cereal and plant and vegetable matter make the case-bearing clothes moth larvae a serious household pest. Because of this, it is important to get rid of them before your home becomes infested. There are many ways to prevent and kill case-bearing clothes moth and its larvae.

If you notice a worm-like bug with a shell crawling along your walls or anywhere on the ground, chances it’s the larvae of the case-bearing clothes moth and there are plenty more where that one came from. To inspect for damage, which is a good indication of an infestation, begin by checking your cupboards, drawers, wardrobes, and storage areas. You should also inspect your carpeting (especially undisturbed areas), behind and under furniture, and in stored linen, such as in the linen closet.

After inspection, if you notice damage, holes or larvae, there are several ways to kill them. Insecticides such as Insect Guard are effective as well as pesticide free clothes moth traps. There are also al number of sprays available that can be used in carpet and around furniture to kill and/or repel the clothes moth and its larvae. Visit any local hardware store to find the best spray or call an exterminator for professional treatment.

The following tips should help to prevent a case-bearing clothes moth infestation.

·Dry-clean or launder woolens and other susceptible fabrics before storing. The case-bearing clothes moth prefers dirty fabrics, such as fabrics soaked in perspiration and urine. Cleaning these fabrics before storing actually kills any eggs and larvae that may be present. Once cleaned, seal all clothing in plastic. The moth cannot penetrate plastic.

·Susceptible fibers may also be treated with special mothproofing liquids, so speak with your local dry cleaner about options.

·If at all possible, purchase carpets and furniture made from synthetic fibers and be sure to keep them clean.

·To take it a step further; inspect roof spaces to make sure there are no bird nests present. Bird nests are perfect places for moths to hide and lay their eggs.

·Vacuuming works wonders, so be sure to keep your carpets vacuumed at all times. Vacuuming helps to remove debris that can actually support future infestations. Vacuum dark areas and underneath furniture where larvae like to feed and moths are likely to hide away from the light. Dispose of the contents of the vacuum bag immediately.

·Freeze-treatment is also an effective way to kill eggs. If you have small objects that can fit into a zip lock bag, simply place the item in the bag and freeze it for a week to kill larvae and eggs. After a week, clean the objects thoroughly.

While silkworms can be found on silk farms all around the world and in some cases they can still be found hanging from the twigs of maple trees inside a pecan shaped and colored cocoon, you can also raise them right at home. Silkworm eggs may be purchased from a number of online stores or directly from farms or growers. They typically arrive in a box and they should be transferred to an open container immediately. A wooden bowl will do just fine. Silkworm eggs may be kept in warm temperatures ranging from roughly 80-85 degrees and they should be kept out of direct sunlight. The air should be moist and the area where the eggs are kept should be well ventilated.

Silkworm eggs typically hatch within two weeks of arrival to your home and they will begin to eat immediately, so it’s best to have plenty of white mulberry on hand for them. How much the silkworm eats will determine the quality of and just how much silk it will produce, so keep them well fed and happy. When the eggs hatch, they will resemble furry black worms, but as they begin to mature (and molt), their color lightens to yellow or nearly white. They grow up to three inches in length and around a half inch in diameter.

Silkworms enclose themselves in a cocoon made of raw silk after they have molted at least four times. This silk cocoon is made of one single thread of raw silk that can be anywhere from 1,000 to more than 3,000 feet in length. The silk is produced in the salivary glands of the silkworm and it is used for protection during the silkworm’s pupal stage.

Today, it is estimated that roughly 75 million pounds of raw silk are produced each year. It takes more than 3,000 cocoons to make one pound of silk and more than 10 billion pounds of mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms that produce the planets precious silk.
Unfortunately, commercial silk is made by boiling the silkworm cocoons. This means that many of the silkworms (soon to be moths) are killed in their cocoons. Some of the moths are allowed to emerge so that these chosen few can continue the population of silkworms.

Fortunately, cruelty-free silk does exist. It’s called “peace silk.” Peace silk, also referred to as “vegetarian silk” uses the process of degumming and spinning the raw silk to produce a soft, fluffy fabric that is excellent for warmth and therapy. This degumming and spinning process allows the moth to safely emerge from the cocoon and live out the remainder of its life cycle in peace.