What does a silk moth caterpillar eat?

mulberry leaves
Silkworms eat mulberry leaves; lots of them!

What does a silk moth caterpillar turn into?

A couple of silk moth cocoons. A few days after completing the cocoon, the caterpillar sheds its skin to become the pupa, the phase of life where the caterpillar tissues are broken down and reconstituted as moth tissues.

Are silk moths harmless?

Their spiky caterpillars are harmless to humans but do an excellent job of deterring predators. Rather than spinning a cocoon, Imperial moths burrow in the ground beneath their host trees (pine, oak, maple, and more). They overwinter there, emerging the following summer.

Can a tussah silk moth survive in the wild?

Unlike the domestic silk moth which is entirely dependent on human care, tussah silk moths can survive in the wild if they escape from captivity; small local populations of such feral stock may thus occasionally occur. The colour and quality of the silk depends on the climate and soil. This is one of the major producers of tussar silk.

Where does the silk in tussah silk come from?

Tussah silk derives from the silk moth Antheraea pernyi and is the most well known of wild silks. This moth is primarily grown in China on oak trees, in the provinces of Shandong, Liaoning, and Hebei.

What kind of moths produce tensan silk in Japan?

Antheraea yamamai is the Japanese silkmoth that produces Tensan silk. This moth belongs to the Saturniidae family. For more than a thousand years this silkmoth has been cultivated in Japan. The larvae mostly feed on oak trees (Quercus). The silk is naturally pale green in color. This silk is very strong and has an elastic characteristic.

How are Tasar and tussah silks farmed?

“Wild” Tasar and Tussah silks are not wildcrafted, they are farmed. Some of the Indian ones may be allowed quite a bit of range – but their reproduction is controlled, the caterpillars are taken to their food plants, and the cocoons are picked like fruit once the worms are done spinning.