The Dream Weaving of Silkworms: Exploring the Process of Silkworm Breeding

On the ancient land of China, silkworm breeding is like a pastoral poem passed down for thousands of years, chanting the magnificent chapter jointly created by humans and nature. This ancient technique, carrying the wisdom of countless ancestors, still shines brightly through the ages, telling the story of the transformation from silkworm larvae to magnificent silk.


Everything begins with mulberry trees. "The silkworms in Wu region are still spinning silk, and the fine threads seem almost invisible." Mulberry trees are the prelude to this symphony of life. Silkworm farmers carefully select suitable sites for mulberry orchards. Fertile, loose soil, abundant sunlight, and water sources are the cornerstones for the vigorous growth of mulberry trees. In early spring, tender green buds sprout on the branches of mulberry trees, like emeralds dotting the landscape. Farmers get busy with fertilizing, weeding, and pruning, taking good care of each mulberry tree, hoping that they will grow lush so as to prepare sufficient "food" for the silkworm larvae.

As the spring breeze gradually warms, the hatching of silkworm eggs kicks off. The tiny silkworm eggs, as small as ants, are placed in a disinfected and warm silkworm rearing room, where the temperature is kept at around 25 °C, and the humidity is also carefully regulated. In such a cozy incubator, the newly hatched silkworms emerge in large numbers, looking like black sesame seeds scattered. These newly born little lives are extremely fragile, so farmers need to feed them with extremely tender mulberry leaves. The picked mulberry leaves should be washed, dried, and cut into small pieces before being evenly spread out. The silkworm larvae wriggle their bodies, following the fragrance of the mulberry leaves, and start their gluttonous journey. Day by day, they transform from as thin as a hair to slightly plump.


Growing silkworms become more and more finicky about the environment. The silkworm rearing room is like a quiet greenhouse, which needs to be isolated from odors, noises, and strong light. Any slight deviation in temperature and humidity can easily make the silkworms fall ill. Farmers are like dutiful nannies, patrolling day and night, adjusting the temperature and humidity, and cleaning up the silkworm excrement. The silkworms' appetite is growing, and the consumption of mulberry leaves is huge. Picking mulberry leaves and feeding the silkworms every day have become an unshakable routine for farmers, just to ensure the smooth development of the silkworms.

Molting is a milestone in the growth of silkworms. Each time they molt, the silkworms grow a bit bigger. They go through four molts in their lifetime. When molting, the silkworms stay still, struggling to break free from the shackles of their old skins. Their newly emerged bodies become more translucent and plump, full of vitality. After the fourth molt, the silkworms are completely translucent, as if there is a glow flowing inside, indicating that the silk-spinning period is approaching.

Silk-spinning is truly a wonder of nature. The silkworms look for a corner, raise their heads, and spit out crystal-clear silk threads, weaving their cocoons methodically. At first, the silk threads are thin and scattered, but later they become denser, wrapping themselves layer by layer until they disappear inside, turning into delicate oval cocoons. At this time, the silkworm rearing room is full of white and golden cocoons, just like twinkling stars.

When it comes to picking cocoons, timing is crucial. If it's too early, the silk quality will be brittle; if it's too late, the silkworm pupae will break out of the cocoons, and the silk will be broken and hard to continue using. Farmers gently pick the cocoons and sort them by quality. High-quality cocoons are sent to silk reeling factories to start the journey of silk stripping and weaving into silk fabrics, while sub-quality cocoons are not wasted either and are used to make silk quilts and so on. As for the silkworm pupae, they are either kept as high-protein delicacies or hatched for reproduction, continuing this ancient cycle.


Silkworm breeding is by no means a simple farming task. It is more like a gentle pact with life. Farmers pour their hearts into it, conform to the nature of silkworms, and with patience and diligence, turn ordinary mulberry leaves into gorgeous silk over the passage of time, allowing the ancient silk culture to flow continuously through their fingertips and across the ages, astonishing the world.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.