What is the diet of silkworm moths?

Get information about silk moths from the DK Find Out website for kids. Improve your knowledge on silk moth larvae and learn more with DK Find Out. read more

The silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of the domestic silkmoth, Bombyx mori (Latin: "silkworm of the mulberry tree"). It is an economically important insect, being a primary producer of silk. A silkworm's preferred food is white mulberry leaves, though they may eat other mulberry species and even osage orange. read more

Giant silkworm moths and royal moths are often brightly colored, which may mislead first-time observers to refer to them as butterflies. Like most moths, however, Saturniids hold their wings flat against their bodies when at rest, and usually have stout, hairy bodies. read more

Silkworm's Diet. Silkworms are picky eaters: They like only one type of food: leaves from the white mulberry tree. Humans engaged in sericulture -- the keeping of silkworms for the purpose of harvesting silk from the insects' cocoons -- feed silkworms their preference for the highest-quality silk. It is not necessary to provide silkworms with water. read more