Silkworm - Silkworm

Japanese: カイコ(蚕) - カイコ

The larvae of the silk moth. They belong to the order Lepidoptera and family Bombycidae. They were developed in ancient China from wild mulberry silkworms (or wild silkworms) for the purpose of producing silk thread. Adults have a wingspan of about 40mm and are grayish-white in color. They have wings but cannot fly. The larvae are about 60mm long and are black immediately after hatching. They feed on mulberry leaves and usually molt four times before producing silk thread and making a cocoon. As a result of their development, there are many varieties, and they are raised in various parts of East Asia as well as in France and Italy. There are univoltine and multivoltine silkworms, and depending on the season they are called spring silkworms, summer silkworms, or autumn silkworms. → Sericulture → Related topics Oshira faith | Silk weaving | Ball cocoons

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

カイコガの幼虫。鱗翅(りんし)目カイコガ科に属する。野生のクワゴ（桑蚕または野蚕）を古代中国で絹糸をとる目的で改良したもの。成虫は開張40mm内外，灰白色。翅はあるが飛ぶことはできない。幼虫は60mm内外，孵化(ふか)直後は黒色で，クワの葉を食べ，普通４回脱皮した後，絹糸を出して繭を作る。改良の結果多くの品種があり，東アジア各地のほかフランス，イタリアなどでも飼育されている。年１化性のものから多化性のものまであり，季節により春蚕(はるこ)，夏蚕，秋蚕という。→養蚕
→関連項目おしら信仰｜絹織物｜玉繭

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