Silk Flashcards
Where did silk originate from and what is it known as?
The farming of silk originated in China and is known as SERICULTURE and it is a process that started at least 5000 years ago.
What is the silk worm moth called?
The silk worm moth is called Bombyx mori
How many eggs does the Bombyx mori lay?
It lays 300 to 500 eggs which hatch within 25 days.
What do Bombyx Mori feed on?
They feed on mulberry leaves and eat vast amounts of the leaves continuously. They continue eating for 20 to 23 days during which time they get bigger and shed their skins four times. By this time they are ready to spin their cocoons.
What are silk worms placed in frames for?
To start the spinning process.
What comes from a silk worms salivary glands.
A sticky liquid
How do silk worms start their spinning process?
They start by sticking the thread to the frame then move their heads in a figure-of-eight spinning a continuous silk thread around their body till they become completely enclosed within the cocoon.
How long does it take for the silk worms to finish it cocoon?
It takes upto two days to complete the spinning of the cocoon.
What happens when the chrysalis inside the cocoon matures?
turns into a moth and when fully mature it secretes a liquid at one end of the cocoon to dissolve the silk fibres . This makes a little hole through which the moth escapes leaving the cocoon behind.
Why do they have to kill the moth in sericulture?
so the silk fibre is unbroken because if the moth escapes it leaves a little hole which destroys the silk.
How is the chrysalis killed?
by steam and the cocoons are placed in boiling water to loosen the gum in the fibres. The ends of several cocoons are found and put together and unwound simultaneously and spun to form a yarn or thread
What happens after all the silk making and moth processes?
The yarns can be dyed in a rainbow of colours. As silk is a very absorbent fibre it absorbs dyes very well. The yarns can be woven into beautiful lustrous silk fabrics.
Why are some moths released?
so they can breed and start the process all over again.
What happens to the broken cocoons?
They can be unwound can still be used to make spun yarn.
How many cocoons does it take to make 1 kg of of silk fibres?
It takes about 50000 cocoons to make 1kg of silk fibres.
The fibre from the cocoon can be as long as 1000m if unbroken.
