Silkworm (Bombyx Mori)

Look closely – you’re standing in front of one of the most fascinating insects ever known to humans: the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

You might see it slowly munching on a leaf – or barely moving, wrapped in a cocoon it spun itself.

For over 5,000 years, this caterpillar has lived side by side with humans. Originally from China, it was domesticated to produce something truly special: silk – one of the most valuable natural fibers in the world.

What you‘re seeing here is the result of thousands of years of selective breeding. Humans chose specific individual silkworms that produced especially long silk fibers, had a calm temperament, and grew to be large.

The silkworm is now completely dependent humans. Without fresh mulberry leaves – like the ones you see here – the species wouldn’t survive. Today, the adult moth can no longer fly, can barely defend itself, and wouldn’t stand a chance in the wild.

In fact, the species you’re looking at does not exist in the wild at all. Its entire life cycle – from egg to caterpillar, to pupa in the cocoon, and finally to moth – takes place in human-controlled environments like this one. In most cases, the cocoons are used for silk production before the moth can even hatch. The caterpillar dies in the process.

Silkworms are also very important to science. Their simple genome makes them a popular model organism. Their silk is extremely tear-resistant, flexible, and biocompatible – making it valuable in medicine as artificial tissue or fine surgical sutures, as well as for medical research.

Here at the BIOTOPIA Lab, you’re invited to observe the animals at your own pace. They are not kept for silk production and are allowed to complete their full life cycle. You might soon see a caterpillar begin to spin its cocoon – or a female moth laying tiny eggs, from which new caterpillars will soon hatch.

Take a moment to imagine what it’s like to be in the skin – or better – in the cocoon – of this animal. What does it need to survive? What might its world feel like?