We have so many beautiful items in our home made out of silk that I like to raise a batch of silk worms each year as a reminder to the kids as to where all these beautiful items come from. It is a lot of work to create silk!
First he selects himself a good site and begins the process of spinning his house.
There. Now the rough form is in place and he fills it in.
His home is finished. Now the inner transformation takes place. In a little over a week he will emerge with wings and leave his silk home behind to be spun into all sorts of wonderful things.
Here he is transformed. I only use 'he' because of those eyebrows! I just can't imagine a 'she' sporting those whompers!
They emerge as flightless moths. Usually in commercial silk production the cocoons are boiled while the caterpillars are still inside. Only a small portion grow into moths for the eggs.
The romance
The silk, which is then boiled, cleaned and spun into tread.
Then the eggs are laid. At this point (luckily) they can be frozen until next spring when we raise another generation. Once a year is plenty for me.
Thank you silk worms for all your beautiful gifts!
This is an easy way for children to connect with where things come from aside from 'the store.' There is a process to all things and that realization has been absent from many peoples' awareness in the recent generations.
it's always all about connection...
