Sericulture

insect from the moth family

species of plant

Sericulture, or silk farming, is the cultivation of silkworms to produce silk. Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, the caterpillar of the domestic silkmoth is the most widely used and intensively studied silkworm. This species of silkmoth is no longer found in the wild as they have been modified through selective breeding, rendering most flightless and without defense against predators. Silk is believed to have first been produced in China as early as the Neolithic period. Today, China and India are the two main producers, with more than 60% of the world's annual produc

species of insect

species of insect

species of insect

6th century event, in which two Nestorian monks smuggled silkworm from China into the Byzantine Empire, leading to the establishment of an indigenous Byzantine silk industry

Sericin is a protein created by Bombyx mori (silkworms) in the production of silk. Silk is a fibre produced by the silkworm in production of its cocoon. It consists mainly of two proteins, fibroin and sericin. Silk consists of 70–80% fibroin and 20–30% sericin; fibroin being the structural center of the silk, and sericin being the gum coating the fibres and allowing them to stick to each other.

Pébrine, or "pepper disease," is a disease of silkworms, which is caused by microsporidian parasites, mainly Nosema bombycis and, to a lesser extent, Vairimorpha, Pleistophora and Thelohania species. The parasites infect eggs and are therefore transmitted to the next generation.

Saturniidae

moth of the family Saturniidae

thumb|200px|right|A former magnanery in Luberon A magnanery () is the site of sericulture, or silk farming, similar to a farm being the site of agriculture. The yeoman who runs it is called a magnanier or, more recently, a mangnan. The word magnanière, meaning building dedicated to sericulture, is also seen.

Cánshén (Chinese: , "Silkworm God") or Cánwáng ( "Silkworm Ruler") is the deity of silkworm and sericulture in Chinese religion. There are two main Canshen, who are two deified mytho-historical personalities who contributed to the invention and diffusion of sericulture in China.

species of insect