Silkworm farming

The new issue of Smithsonian has an interesting short article about traditional sericulture, AKA silkworm farming, in the 16th century. Apparently. one of the hardest parts was keeping the farmhouse at the perfect temperature for incubation. From Smithsonian:

The process began with the 10-to 14-day incubation of silkworm eggs, which are produced by the mating of adult silkworm moths. According to the Silk Museum, keeping the tiny, delicate eggs (about the size of a pinhead) at just the right temperature was "the task of the women, who often carried small bags of eggs in direct contact with their skin. . .sometimes between their breasts." Once hatched, the worms, only about one millimeter long, had to be fed mulberry leaves night and day.

Silkworm farming (Smithsonian)

[#1 posted by Mazoola , July 18, 2008 6:17 PM]

I am but a child of my times.

[#2 posted by David Pescovitz , July 18, 2008 6:25 PM]

Ah, those were the daze, Dr. Maz.

[#3 posted by sockpr0n , July 18, 2008 7:07 PM]

A really interesting resource on silk farming is http://wormspit.com -- information and pictures from raising silkworms to reeling silk for dyeing, weaving and spinning.

[#4 posted by wormspit , July 18, 2008 8:48 PM]

They're really pretty easy to keep at a good temperature, with modern heating - they do fine from the low seventies to the mid eighties. Where I am in Dallas, I don't find that I need an incubator, but some folks up north need something to keep them a little warmer.

I've been raising silkworms as a hobby since 2001, and I've got a rearing journal of them here: http://www.wormspit.com/bombyxsilkworms.htm

and the processing for silk is here:
http://www.wormspit.com/silkworkindex.htm
(scroll down, there's a video!)

I also run a Yahoo group for people who are interested in raising the worms: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/catherders/

Michael
http://www.wormspit.com

[#5 posted by smithviki , July 19, 2008 11:17 AM]

I enjoyed the movie "Silk", which according to the IMDB description, is "The story of a married silkworm merchant-turned-smuggler in 19th century France traveling to Japan for his town's supply of silkworms after a disease wipes out their African supply. During his stay in Japan, he becomes obsessed with the concubine of a local baron." Keira Knightley is in it, and the drama over the silkworms is amazing!