Deluxe Life Cycle of Silkworm

As caterpillars are to butterflies, so silkworms are to moths.  They begin life as eggs, which take about 14 days to hatch into silkworm.  The newly born silkworms eat continuously until, after molting 4 times, they encase themselves in a cocoon of silk produced from their salivary glands. They eventually emerge from the cocoon as fully grown adult moths.  Silkworms have had an important role in many cultures, and they have been domesticated for the production of their silk which is woven into fine fabrics and goods.  Silkworm cocoons were boiled, killing the silkworm in the process and making the cocoon easier to unravel and apply in the production of fabrics - the silkworm itself is often eaten.

With this educational specimen, you can see firsthand all of the stages of a life of a silkworm. The block features real-life samples of eggs, larva, pupa and adult moth. All of this is nicely presented in an acrylic block. Used as a slide under a microscope or as a hands-on specimen, this makes a fantastic addition to any science classroom.

Features:

• Acrylic specimen block featuring specimens of the full life cycle of a silkworm and examples of silk and silk fabric
• Approximate size of block: 6.5" x 3" x 0.75"
• Excellent specimen for the classroom; also makes a great stocking stuffer for a biology fan