The silkworm or mulberry caterpillar is a type of caterpillar-type insect that actually has quite a high value in terms of revenue because this caterpillar is one of the caterpillars that produce silk thread fibers. why it is called mulberry caterpillar, because this type of caterpillar eats mulberry leaves and does not like other types of leaves. TO

There are several things you need to understand when you want to breed silkworms, namely, the development of this silkworm takes about 10 days to hatch, which is different from Hong Kong caterpillar farming. after hatching, it will turn into a caterpillar and form a crude cocoon.

After the caterpillar enters the stage of becoming a raw cocoon, that’s where the raw cocoon will be spun into silk threads that are between 300 and 900 meters long. The fibers of the silk thread that is produced when it is spun are usually about 10 micrometers in diameter.

In terms of feeding, this silkworm is a voracious caterpillar. This caterpillar eats throughout the day while the food reserve around it is still there. In fact, the greed of the silkworms has an impact on the growth and development of the caterpillars, which are quite fast as they undergo 4 different molting phases with the Quick Way of Caterpillar Cage Cattle.

In the change itself, when the color of the skin remains yellow, it means that this silkworm will soon wrap itself and become a cocoon. When we really want to take advantage of the silk thread that silkworms produce, these are tips that we must first recognize before moving on to the section of how to raise silkworms as we have to boil the silkworms that have not yet entered or before that they become mature to produce silk threads that are silky smooth, pleasing and of the highest quality.

Also, boiling silkworms aims to kill the silkworms so that it is easier to break down the fibers of the silk cocoons.

For those of you who are really interested or just want to learn how to raise silkworms or cultivate silkworms, here are some steps you need to know.

As far as how to grow it, silkworm livestock is broadly divided into 5 stages starting with cage preparation, which then goes on to nursery preparation, feeding, and also the process of how to keep these silkworms. However, we must remember that raising these types of caterpillars is a pretty good business when viewed from an economic perspective.

That is because the sale price of the silk thread produced by this caterpillar has quite a high sales value when the quality of the thread produced is also high.

For example, the result of the silk thread itself is a silk fabric that is commonly used for upper-middle-class clothing that has quite good appearance and wearing comfort. So the sales value of silk fabric to clothes made of silk is quite high.

Here is an explanation of 5 ways to raise silkworms that you can follow when you intend to raise silkworms.

1. Silkworm Cage Preparation

The first thing you need to do to grow silkworms is to prepare a cage for live silkworms.

In preparation for making cages from silkworms, there are several things that need to be done, namely in terms of choosing the right location or place for the cultivation of these silkworms.

The criteria itself is a room that is large enough to accommodate the number of silkworms that we are going to grow and that is equipped with good ventilation.

The function of good ventilation is to circulate air and light in the room, so it usually has enough windows. The form of the silkworm cage can also be made of wood and bamboo which are shaped like shelves where the caterpillars live.

However, before the silkworm shelf or cage is inhabited by caterpillars, it would be better if the place was sterilized from the threat of various harmful substances that would threaten the development of this silkworm. the way can be by spraying some liquids like chlorine solution or it can also be with liquid formalin which can be bought at a chemical store where the levels are 0.5% and 3% respectively.

To make the shelf, you don’t need good, strong wood because the weight of the caterpillar doesn’t weigh down the base or the shelf itself.

2. Silkworm seeds

After the kandan is where the caterpillars are produced or where the silkworms live, the next step is to buy and choose the seeds of the silkworms that we are going to raise.

Some tips include choosing good and healthy silkworm egg seeds. in the selection itself, silkworm seeds are made 10-12 days before cultivation begins. Also, choose good silkworm egg seeds.

The selection of these seeds is made 10-12 days before the start of maintenance.

And make the stage or incubation period of silkworm eggs for hatching to vary. The incubation stage itself is to put the silkworm seeds in a box closed with a fairly thin white paper which is then stored in a room with a temperature of around 25-28 degrees Celsius with an ambient humidity intensity of 75 %-80% .

Also, make sure that the box that already contains the silkworm eggs is protected from direct sunlight. If at this time the silkworm eggs look like blue spots, immediately replace the white cloth cover with a black cloth and leave it for 2 days.

3. Feed the silkworms

The next stage in the way of cattle silkworms is to feed them. After the silkworm begins to develop from small until it is ready to become a cocoon, this preparation or stage is a very serious stage and requires special attention because it is from this feeding that the results of the silk thread will be determined. produced.

Also, because silkworms are voracious insects and they always want to eat, so don’t miss or forget to feed these silkworms.

Although it needs special attention, feeding the silkworms is very easy because these caterpillars only want to eat the leaves of the mulberry tree, so we don’t have to bother looking for certain types of food. In feeding it can also be based on the size or age of this silkworm. for caterpillars that are still small or have a small body, you can give them about 300 – 400 kg of mulberry leaves that we have collected so that they remain without branches, and for caterpillars that are mature or large, you can give them 2-3 Sometimes that is between 1000 kg – 1300 kg leaves the same mulberry tree that we have collected so that it is left without branches.

4. Silkworm maintenance process

The last step in the way of cattle silkworms is the stage where the maintenance of the silkworms themselves. At this stage it can be said that it is a fairly easy stage or easy to do.

At this stage, we should pay attention to the lifestyle and desires of this silkworm, such as the amount of food it eats, this silkworm eats at least 3 times a day in the morning, afternoon and evening.

Then, after eating a large number of silkworms, it will enter the hibernation phase or perhaps more accurately called the sleep period after about 4 days.

During this time, we must be prepared to spray the caterpillars with lime and also make sure that the air circulation around the cage is good enough by opening the vents. By opening air vents that make the air circulation work properly, you will make the development of this caterpillar very good. And after the sleeping period is over, the silkworm will wake up and eat immediately, so we should prepare the food of this silkworm when the caterpillar is sleeping.

Another method of treatment is that we can move the silkworms when they are big enough to a new room that has a different temperature of around 24-25 degrees centigrade with a humidity of 70%-75% where in this room the caterpillars They will turn into cocoons. .

This stage is where it will later become silk thread or fiber. This healing usually lasts a long time, about 7-8 days. The life pattern of this silkworm, starting from eggs that will later hatch into small caterpillars and develop into large caterpillars, has a fairly short time and varies depending on how we care for these silkworms.

After going through that period, the adult caterpillar will metamorphose back into a pupa or what we often call a cocoon. After going through the cocoon period, the silkworm will turn into a moth. The unique thing about the development process of this silkworm is that each cycle or phase of the caterpillar, from seed to moth, will go through a sleeping or resting phase that is quite long, around 4 to 7 days.

Here are testimonials from silkworm breeders or growers. Look the following video.

The following are some tips on how to raise silkworms which can be almost the same as How to Raise Bumbung Caterpillars. The thing to keep in mind when raising silkworms is that we have to really understand how to farm these silkworms, starting with perseverance. . and time discipline is also needed in the cultivation of this silkworm so that it can produce the best silk thread and have a very high sale value.