Keeping Silkworms

Keeping silkworms Bombyx mori is an easy way to demonstrate metamorphosis from egg to larva to pupa to adult. They may be kept in any container with holes in the lid such as an ice cream container. Fill the container with fresh mulberry leaves, replacing them as necessary. Silkworm eggs and caterpillars are often available from pet shops in Spring. Eggs can be prolonged in hibernation by keeping them in the refrigerator. They hatch within a fortnight of being removed from the cold.