How many silkworms are reared to produce a kg of silk?

5500

The correct answer is option 2. 5500.

Each cocoon contains just a little amount of useful silk, and around 5500 silkworms are required to produce 1 kilogram of raw silk. Sericulture, or the cultivation of silkworms to produce silk, refers to this cycle, which includes incubating the small eggs of the silkworm moth until they hatch and mature into worms. Following incubation, the worms are placed under a layer of gauze and are fed regularly for about six weeks on finely chopped mulberry leaves. At that moment, the worms begin to climb several tree branches and create one durable thread for their casings, a process that typically takes 8 to 14 days.