Silkworm Activities

Few insects are more ideally suited to having their life cycle scrutinized than the humble silkworm, or Bombyx mori. Its gentle nature and lack of stinging bristles means it's more child-friendly than wild caterpillars found in most gardens. In addition, its entire life cycle -- from egg to caterpillar to cocoon and finally moth -- is observed from the safety of the home. Over the years, several activities have been developed to help children understand how each cycle in the silkworm's life works.

  1. Illustrate the Silkworm Life Cycle

    • The best way to understand the silkworm's life cycle is to illustrate it on a large piece of white paper or cardboard. In the top left-hand corner, depict the start of the cycle by drawing a tiny egg. Next to it, insert an arrow pointing to a caterpillar, which is easily drawn by focusing on each segment of the silkworm at a time, clearly differentiating the head, thorax and abdomen. Under the silkworm, insert a downward arrow and a picture of a cocoon at bottom right, and on the left of the cocoon insert the final arrow pointing to a moth. Clearly label each illustration in the cycle.

    Make a Silk Bookmark

    • When the silkworm is ready to spin a cocoon, it stops eating, excretes a liquid green mass to empty its intestines, and seeks out a corner of its container. Place the worm on a bookmark-shaped piece of cardboard stuck onto the sticky end of an upright glue bottle. Watch as the silkworm constantly walks up and down the entire length of the cardboard, covering all the space until there is a ready-made silk bookmark. Remove the silkworm when it starts to pupate, placing it in soft cotton wool, and gently peel the silk -- the new bookmark -- from the cardboard.

    Write Up a Diary

    • An exciting part of observing the silkworm life cycle is watching it develop from egg to moth. In order to remember all the details, start a diary that begins the day the silkworms hatch from their tiny eggs. Record the amount of mulberry leaves they need to be fed on a daily basis, as well as the dates the worms moult and start to spin their cocoons. The diary makes a fascinating chronology to be compared with future batches of silkworms. Photograph each stage of the cycle and place these images in the relevant places in the diary.

    Read Books on Silkworms

    • There are many clearly illustrated, informative books on silkworms; reading them provides valuable background knowledge in the quest to care for a batch of worms. Books explain such things as why some cocoons are yellow and others are white; why some caterpillars are plain white while others have brown stripes; and how to tell the difference between the males and females.