Can Silkworms Fly?
Based on the provided information, domestic silk moths cannot fly.
The creature known as a "silkworm" is actually the larval stage of the domestic silk moth (Bombyx mori). This is the stage where the insect consumes mulberry leaves and produces the silk filament used to build its cocoon. After the larva pupates inside the cocoon, it transforms and emerges as an adult moth.
Flight Capability of Domestic Silk Moths
The provided reference specifically discusses the abilities of the domestic silk moths, which are the adult form of the silkworm.
According to the reference:
- The domestic silk moths cannot fly.
- This lack of flight means male moths require human assistance to locate mates.
- The domesticated species also lacks fear of predators, as they live in captivity.
- They have lost their natural camouflage colors (are leucistic) because it is not needed in their captive environment.
This inability to fly in the adult moth is a characteristic developed over thousands of years of domestication, as their survival and reproduction became dependent on human intervention rather than natural flight for dispersal or predator evasion.
Does the Reference Answer About the Silkworm (Larva)?
The provided reference focuses on the adult moth stage. It explicitly states the moth cannot fly. The reference does not provide information about whether the silkworm larva can fly. However, in the insect life cycle, flight is typically a capability of the adult stage, not the larval stage. The key piece of information from the reference relevant to the question about the animal known as a "silkworm" is that its adult form cannot fly.
Therefore, based directly on the reference, we know the adult stage lacks the ability to fly.
