A Detailed Guide to the Silkworm-Rearing Process: The Complete Steps from Silkworm Egg to Cocoon

Silkworm rearing is an agricultural production activity with a long history; it refers to the artificial raising of the domestic silkworm (Bombyx mori) so that it spins silk and forms a cocoon, thereby yielding silk. A silkworm's life goes through four stages: egg, larva, pupa and moth. Silkworm rearers usually begin management from the hatching of the eggs and care for the insects all the way until they spin silk and form cocoons.

The whole silkworm-rearing process can roughly be divided into several stages. The first is incubation and the collection of newly hatched larvae: the silkworm eggs are placed in a suitable temperature and humidity environment to promote hatching, and the hatchlings resemble ants, so they are called ant silkworms and need to be fed chopped tender mulberry leaves. After entering the larval stage, the silkworms undergo several molts and shedding of skin. The early period is the young-silkworm stage, when they eat little and are weak; the later period is the grown-silkworm stage, when their food intake increases markedly, so fresh mulberry leaves must be supplied in time and the silkworm droppings cleaned away to keep the rearing bed clean.

When the silkworms mature, their bodies gradually become translucent; they then stop eating and empty their intestines, at which point they should be placed on cocooning mounts so they can spin silk and form cocoons in a quiet, dark environment. Cocoon formation generally takes several days, and after it is complete, the rearer may choose to harvest the cocoons, reel the silk, or keep them for breeding, depending on the purpose of rearing.

During silkworm rearing, temperature and humidity control and hygiene management are crucial. Silkworms are relatively sensitive to environmental changes, so mulberry leaves must be kept fresh and clean and must be kept free of moisture and pesticide residues. The rearing room needs frequent ventilation and regular disinfection to reduce the occurrence of silkworm diseases. Only by mastering the management essentials of each stage can the silkworms grow healthily and finally produce cocoons of good quality.