Question

In which stage of its life cycle, the silk moth begins to produce silk fiber?
(a) 3rd instar larva
(b) 4th instar larva
(c) 5th instar larva
(d) Pupa

Answer 1

The silk moth's life cycle begins when eggs are laid by a female silk moth. The caterpillar or the larvae hatch from the silk moth's eggs. The silkworms feed on the leaves of the mulberry and give birth to pupas.

Complete answer:
- A weave is netted around by the silkworm in the pupa process to hold itself. After that, it swings its head and spins a protein- based fiber and becomes a silk fiber.
- A protective coating around the pupa is created by many caterpillars and this covering is known as the cocoon. Silk thread (yarn) is obtained from the cocoon of a silk moth.
- An egg is the first stage of the silkworm's life cycle. A female moth, which is often the size of tiny dots, lays the egg. More than 350 eggs at a time are laid by a female moth. The eggs hatch in the springtime due to the moisture in the air. This process occurs once a year.
- After the eggs break, a hairy silkworm emerges. The growth happens in this stage of silkworms. Before going to the next level, they feed on mulberry leaves and eat a large number of these leaves for about 30 days.
- Silkworms spin a protective cocoon around themselves in this process. It is the size of a small ball of cotton and is made from a single silk thread.
- A motionless period is the pupa period. The pupa is destroyed at this point by plunging the cocoon into a boiling phase.
So, the correct answer is ‘Pupa’.

Note: The life stage of some insects undergoing transformation is a pupa. Only holometabolous insects, those undergoing a full metamorphosis, pass through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and imago, and are contained in the pupal stage.