Silkworm

About the Silkworm

The only fully domesticated insect - they cannot survive in the wild after 5,000 years of selective breeding. A single cocoon contains 1,000 meters of continuous silk thread. It takes 2,000-3,000 cocoons to make one pound of silk. Silk production (sericulture) was a closely guarded Chinese secret for 3,000 years - revealing it was punishable by death. The Silk Road was named after their product. China produces 150,000 tonnes of silk annually. The adult moth is flightless.