Different species of silk moth. Japanese silk moth scientific name. The resultant tame b. Silkworm moth bombyx mori lepidopteran whose caterpillar has been used in silk production sericulture for thousands of years. There are many species of silk moth which can produce the silk of commerce but only few have been exploited by man for the purpose.
Although native to china the silkworm has been introduced throughout the world and has undergone complete domestication with the species no longer being found in the. Thus tassar silk kosa silk mooga silk etc are obtained from cocoons spun by different types of moths. Moths belonging to families satumidae and bombycidae of order lepidoptera and class insecta produce silk of commerce. Mainly four types of silk have been recognised which are secreted by different species of silk.
The bombycidae family contains 21 genera and 150 species most of which are classified under the nominal subfamily bombycinae. The species of these moths is referred to as a generalist feeder which means that they consume almost all types of plant species including many herbs and trees. You might not realise but silk can be made from many varieties of silkworm and sometimes no worms at all as youll discover in a minute. The most common silk moth is the mulberry silk moth.
The bombycidae family is notable for containing the much valuedsilkworm bombyx mori. Bombyx mori the domestic silk moth is an insect from the moth family bombycidaeit is the closest relative of bombyx mandarina the wild silk moththe silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of a silk moth. Whatever the source these moths and worms produce a protein fibroin that is the main element in silk. It is an economically important insect being a primary producer of silka silkworms preferred food are white mulberry leaves though they may eat other mulberry species and even the osage.