Silkworms

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You might wonder what they are or have heard of em'. Get ready to get up close with them!
Pictures updated weekly. This is provided as an 'educational' experience...have fun!

Silkworms are indeed insects, they start from a small larvae and gradually grow into adult size catepillar-like creatures
that craw and consume mulberry leaves, they consume them throughout their lives, they're harvested for silk which they spin
for their cocoons for their metamorphosis.

The pictures below are the silkworms from week 1. (Posted 4/3/01) *NEW PICTURES ADDED WEEKLY*
The black dots are the worms' droppings, they're from the leaves they eat, mulberry leaves. People make pillows out of silkworm droppings, they're cool and light.

The silkworm on the upper right corner is dead. This is how they look when they first come out of the tiny eggs. He didn't survive...he hadn't gotten any mulberry leaves in a while.

These are the worms, they're approximately 1 week old.
They've turned white from the black-ish and darker color from when they were borne from their eggs (shown at right).

The leaves they're on are mulberry leaves.
Silkworms can eat lettuce and mulberry leaves. However,
when they eat lettuce, they do not obtain their natural colors and cannot produce silk/cocoons and are therefore not able to reproduce. Silkworms must be able to spin a cocoon to go into while they transform to moths to reproduce. While it may be possible if they hide themselves in a corner somewhere, they might be lucky and be able to reproduce but they need a cocoon. You will be able to see one approximately a month or two from now.

The pictures above were the silkworms from week 0-1. (Posted 4/3/01)
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For more info on silkworms, their habitat, mulberry leaves and their role in asian history, please visit: