The silkworms start their life in an incubator, then need 10 days at a constant temperature to hatch. Silkworm eggs are the size of a pin top.
Once the eggs hatch, the silkworms immediately start to feed on the fresh organic mulberry leaves, which are picked fresh off our trees – silkworms will die if fed with leaves not freshly picked on the day.
The silkworms feed constantly, 24 hours 7 days a week, with no rest periods or sleep. They are fully grown by the 28th day, growing constantly into a long worm. Fully grown, they can be as long as 3 inches, and as thick as a pencil.
On day 29, the silkworms start the second part of the cycle, which is the cocooning. Each worm starts to cocoon the silk it produces and raps itself in the silk thread to form a peanut shape case. While in the cocoon, the worm is feeding for 14 days, consuming half the silk of the cocoon it has created. This is the difference between our production and most others. In order to allow a natural life cycle, we only collect the cocoon after the moths break through its walls and leave.
The emergence of the moth signifies the start of third part of the cycle. Once the silk moth leaves the cocoon, the only thing on its mind is to find a mate, the female has a beautiful feather headdress, and the male has antennas. If successful, they mate for 4 days constantly.
Mating leads to the fourth part of the cycle, when eggs are laid and the moth dies.
