Once ready to weave its cocoon, the silkworm climbs onto a support such as a twig, a branch, or even plastic bristles, known as the “mountage”. With its silk glands, it then secretes a strand between 800 and 1,500 m long, twisting in a figure-8 pattern for 2 days to form the cocoon. The worm then goes to sleep and pupates into a chrysalis. At this stage, for silk production, the chrysalides are smothered (using hot air) to prevent them from tearing the thread.
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