Silkworm - bioresources - Our history with human beyond more than 6000 years

Oct 28, 2026

Silkworm bioresources trace a long, human-dependent relationship spanning over 6,000 years, from domestication in China to documented references to Japanese silkworm raising in “An Account of the Wa.” The text explains how silkworms rely on people due to limited self-protection, inability to cling to mulberry leaves, and reduced mouth parts, shaping their short adult lifespan. It also highlights Japan’s modernization through raw silk exports and emphasizes continuous research and meticulous pedigree recording.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Life cycle of silkworms

Japan and Silkworms

Kyushu University and silkworms

Pedigree of silkworms

Silkworms as a bioresource

Evolving research on silkworms

Silkworm preservation supported by traditional techniques

Long-term preservation realized by advanced technology

National Bioresource Project “KAICO”

KAICO Bioresource Research Facility

S i l k w o r m bio-resources Our history with human beyond more than 6000 years Silkworms are a species of the class Insecta (insects) . They originated from wild silkworm (Bombyx mandarina), an insect domesticated 6,000 years ago and raised in China. Chinese people raised silkworms in order to yield raw silk, which is the material for silk manufacture, from cocoons. There is a theory that they ate silkworm pupas. It is estimated that the relationship between the Japanese people and silk worms was established at least 2,000 years ago considering that it appears in “An Account of the Wa” in the ancient Chinese book Records of Wei. “An Account of the Wa” describes the lifestyle of the Wajin, the Japanese people of those days, as follows.“They plant Boehmeria nipononivea and raise silkworms to yield hemp and silk cloth.” "An Account of the Wa" (source: Archives and Mausolea Department, Imperial Household Agency) 2 C o n t e n t s 1. Life cycle of silkworms 4 2. Japan and Silkworms 6 3. Kyushu University and silkworms 8 4. Pedigree of silkworms 10 5. Silkworms as a bioresource 12 6. Evolving research on silkworms 14 7. Silkworm preservation supported 16 by traditional techniques 8. Long-term preservation realized 18 by advanced technology 9. National Bioresource Project “KAICO” 20 10. KAICO Bioresource Research Facility 22 We cannot survive without people. Egg Life cycle of silkworms 1 Silkworms are insects completely domesticated by people. Accordingly, they will immediately die if they are not being raised by people. When the mulberry leaves for their feed have been eaten up, silkworms original position keep still until they are resupplied. Even if a silkworm larva is put on a mulberry leaf, it immediately drops down on the ground because it has no ability to cling on it. In addition, silkworms have no way for protecting themselves from natural enemies and no means for fighting them; therefore, they die easily. In this way, silkworms are insects which rely on people. They require about 50 days to become adult insects after being hatched from eggs . Silkworms are fledged as they become adult insects, but cannot fly because their body weight is too heavy due to selective breeding. At the same time, their mouth parts degenerate and are lost, leading to a lifetime of at most 10 days. Lifecycle of silkworms 5 Contribution to the modernization of Japan Hatch, 1st Instar Japan and Silkworms 2 Silkworms have been raised by the Imperial Family Silkworm-raising by the Imperial Family has a long history but was temporarily interrupted for a while. Against this background, in 1871, Empress Dowager Shoken restored the tradition of silkworm-raising in the Imperial Court. After that time, this tradition was sometimes interrupted due to fire and war. In 1914, the current Momijiyama Sericultural Institute was established within the Imperial Palace and the tradition of silkworm-raising was resumed and has been inherited up to now. Today, silkworm-raising is being practiced in the Institute every year. The sericultural industry laid the foundation for the modernization of Japan In the past, silkworms were seen as an important species of agricultural animal. Raw silk occupied 40 to 70% of export products from Japan from the late 1800s to the late 1920s and 1930s. Japan overtook China and became first in the world for raw silk exports, expediting the modernization of Japan. Raw silk produced in Tomioka Silk Mill, which was registered as a World Heritage Site in 2014, won a great reputation as a “top quality product” around the world. Silkworms, called“Okaiko-sama,” have been raised carefully in special rooms by farmers, up to now. Thus, silkworms are precious to the Japanese people. 7 Continuous research on silkworms for over 100 years 2nd Instar Kyushu University and silkworms 3 Kyushu University is raising about 800 species of silkworms for

FAQs

Why do silkworms rely on people rather than surviving independently?

They cannot protect themselves from natural enemies, lack the ability to cling to mulberry leaves, and depend on being supplied with feed. Without human raising, they die quickly.

How long does it take for silkworms to become adult insects, and how long do adults live?

Silkworms require about 50 days to become adult insects after hatching. Their adult stage cannot last long, with a lifetime of at most 10 days due to degenerated mouth parts and heavy body weight.

What role did Japan’s sericulture and silkworm cultivation play in modernization?

Raw silk accounted for a large share of Japan’s exports, enabling Japan to become the leading raw-silk exporter worldwide. This helped drive Japan’s modernization, and specific mills produced top-quality silk recognized internationally.

Oct 28, 2026

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