FIBRE TO FABRIC

LIFE HISTORY OF A SILK MOTH

The female silk moth lays eggs which hatch larvae

is called caterpillars or silkworms .
Silk moth eggs
They grow in size and when the
caterpillar is ready to enter the next stage
of its life called pupa
• It first weaves a net to hold it self
then it swings its head from side to side in the
form of the figure eight (8) during these
movements of the head the caterpillar secretes
fiber made of protein
• Soon the caterpillar covers itself by silk fibres
and turns into pupa . This is covering is know
as cocoon. Silk fiber is used for weaving silk
cloths
The silkworm has been used by humans for
thousands of years, and they have an
interesting history. According to legend,
the silkworm was discovered by Chinese
empress Si-Ling-Chi in the year 2640 B.C.E.
The empress was walking through her
garden when a silkworm cocoon dropped
into her tea from the mulberry tree above.