Question

Describe the life history of the silk moth with the help of figures of various stages.

Answer 1

The female silk moth lays eggs. When an egg hatches, a tiny caterpillar crawls out. This is the silkworm or larva. The silkworm feeds on mulberry leaves and grows. When it is ready to enter the next stage in its life cycle, it first weaves a net to hold itself. It then secretes a fibre made of proteins, which hardens on exposure to air. This is the silk fibre. It covers itself completely with this fibre, to form a cocoon. At this stage, the larva is called a pupa. The pupa grows and changes inside the cocoon. A few weeks later, the cocoon opens and an adult moth comes out.