Silkworms Spin Cocoons That Spell Their Own Doom | Deep Look

Those precious silk garments in your closet were made by the caterpillar of a fuzzy white moth - thousands of them. Silkworms spin a cocoon with a single strand of silk up to ten city blocks long. Humans have bred these insects into weaving machines that can no longer survive in the wild.
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The sumptuous silk in your satiny sheets and glamorous gowns comes from humble beginnings - a caterpillar of the domesticated silk moth. For almost five thousand years, people have raised silkworms for their unique, shimmering material. In just a few days, these caterpillars produce one fine thread of silk one kilometer long, and intricately weave it into their cocoons.
For most silkworms in captivity, this is where their journey ends. To preserve the integrity of the continuous silk thread in each cocoon, silk farmers kill the pupa inside the chrysalis by boiling, steam, or sun. Then the strands are loosened in hot water and unwound by hand using specialized spinners and silk harvesting tools. This raw silk is then gathered onto large spools and refined into commercially valuable threads. It can take up to 2000 silkworms to make one silk dress.
Today, the silk industry is valued at more than $10 billion globally, but it is more than just a luxury item. Silk is pound-for-pound stronger than steel, and it is now used in medicine to heal bones and tendons. Our five thousand year love affair with this extraordinary material continues to hold silkworms captive -- until we learn to spin silk better than they can.
__
- What other insects produce silk?
Animal-produced silk is actually quite common in the natural world. Spiders (of course), fleas, webspinners, caddisflies and even some ants and bees make silk. But only the silk made by the caterpillar of the domestic silk moth is widely cultivated by humans.
- Are silkworms edible?
Yes! Silkworms are enjoyed as a nutritious snack in many countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, China and Madagascar.
- Where do wild silk moths live?
Domestic silk moths (Bombyx mori) can’t survive in the wild without help from humans, but their cousins - the wild silk moth (Bombyx mandarina) can be found in Asia, in countries like China, Korea and Japan.

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#silkworm #silkmoth #deeplook

[@sydposting]

I love the legend behind how silkworm cultivation began: Thousands of years ago, the Empress of China was enjoying tea in her garden when a silkworm cocoon fell into her tea. The heat of the tea unraveled the cocoon, allowing the silk to be collected. The rest is history! 🤗

[@Jamaldidntdoit]

I was taught that in class

[@ritsuchan2340]

Same i was taught this in my class too

[@kdoubleg]

Seems almost like the Chinese equivalent to the newton aple story.

[@kfdaftsaeroblox]

Yeah,I heard the story.Fun fact:Silk was not introduced to the outside world for nearly 3000! years.If somebody tried to,they were sentenced to death.But some people kept trying and succeeded in the 1700s. Edit:Guys,I love you!❤

[@astraaa_]

wait did she still drink the tea after?

[@FlangeValve]

Darn. Never knew that those cute cuddly silkworms had such a terrible backstory.

[@killapicklepiratepanda7373]

Just like dogs but sadder

[@yuckfou514]

Vegans are crying. Their tears taste delicious

[@claggor1070]

@@yuckfou514 Yeah better than starving a family just because of moths.

[@69cheesyfries]

I said that to one of my friends once coz she told me that moths are scary. I was like "whaattt they're cute and cuddly-" and the look on her face was priceless 💀

[@tomwolfe7782]

@@yuckfou514 Being violent and lacking sympathy toward animals as a bragging point is quizzical.

[@chillsahoy2640]

Growing up in Spain in the 00s, I had silkworms. Interestingly, after a few years I got a few mutant worms which pupated without producing a cocoon.

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Intriguing- thanks for sharing that observation.

[@AisuruMirai]

It took them a while to figure out how to go on strike.

[@fungi42021]

@@AisuruMirai 😆

[@yukinagato1573]

@@AisuruMirai Soon they'll create a Silk Moth Syndicate and start fighting humans for their political rights

[@KartikChauhan__KC]

I mean yeah, it took elephants a few years to realize that growing with tusks is a death sentence.

[@Jauphrey]

It's like someone bottled the excitement a school class gets when the teacher wheeled in that ancient TV and put it into each Deep Look video. Can't thank you guys enough for making learning my favorite hobby. Amazing job.

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Thank you, Jauphrey!

[@Jm649]

So true! 🤣

[@TROllingNINJA2031]

My question is did your teacher turn off the lights? When ours did that before putting on the magic school bus I swear I was teleported to a different universe

[@LazyTallGuy]

I wholeheartedly agree, what a great way to describe the feeling.

[@AnhNguyen-hn9vj]

love silk.

[@eddvcr598]

As a kid growing up in Japan, we called silk worms (kaiko in Japanese) as Kaiko-Sama. We use -sama as a way to address those whom we revere or regard highly of, such as divine entities and honorable people. I think ancient people started calling the silk worms with an elevated address to show gratitude to the silk moths and worms. It’s a curious relationship, and I’m sure they were aware of it - to harvest unbroken silk, they had to boil them, which is a cruel practice; for the precious silk obtained in exchange for their lives, they showed reverence and gratitude to them.

[@fitt4393]

I see

[@chrisfelonall1177]

Thats kind of heartwarming, although it's also sad, thanks for sharing

[@er3068]

As they should be address since they die inexchange for silk😥

[@Connection-Lost]

Kaiko-Kai desu

[@hughle9617]

Kaiko-senpai yamate!!

[@shawn5106]

I have never seen a cute insect. Normally i find all the insects disgusting but these white moths are so adorable .

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Chonky and fluffy

[@pumpkxnz_11]

​@@KQEDDeepLookMulberry silkmoth does look fluffy and chonky on my point of view 😃

[@atinygoldendeer2045]

the thing i loved the most is how PBS never tries to hide or sugarcoat things like we're killing thousands of moths for silk, and still are able to tell why they are useful for us from an objective point of view. Thats how it should be, great vid 🙌 Also great shots as always!!! Loved the timelapse with the worms and the coin

[@ReasonMakes]

Yes, it's fantastic that they're honest about the fact that we boil them alive to steal their silk, and that we have genetically modified them ti give them all disabilities to the point where they can barely move. It's all very important information that more people should know. It certainly is an effective deterrent for funding this cruel and unnecessary industry. I certainly will never buy silk again. Thanks DeepLook.

[@charliebrownatemybro]

We humans have a symbiotic relationship with a lot of animals and plants. That should be humbling.

[@skrubknight884]

tbf, in the wild most would die or be eaten as well. We obviously have to keep enough to make sure the population stays the same every generation so we don't fall behind on silk. In the wild predation keeps the population stable.

[@tangieee6592]

Fashion is not worth more than a life

[@zaashtill1542]

@@charliebrownatemybro You’re right; it is symbiotic-but the kind where only one species benefits.

[@tosyl_chloride]

Now I don't know what would become of the pupae once they've been boiled in an industrial silk manufaturing setting, but in small-scale silk manufacturers in Vietnam they would be stir-fried with spices and chopped lime leaves to be served as a delicacy. I believe elsewhere around Asia silkworm pupae would also be consumed as human food, which IMO is a great way to prevent these protein-rich resources from going to waste

[@MarceccMC]

Nice

[@renseiryuu]

From googling around, I found out that the silkworms are too small, and after boiling, they would become moist. And not to mention about their uncleaned innards. So they won't be really tasty to eat. That being said, they might still be used as chicken feed (this part is just my idea).

[@tosyl_chloride]

@@renseiryuu Tbf, the innards only comprise of mulberry leaves' digested remains, so it's relatively "clean" - not like you'd be dealing with rotting insect corpses in their guts anyway. And of course they wouldn't be eaten straight after boiling - I don't think anyone would want to eat that kind of squishy and bland bugs. In my experience, they would be stir-fried or roasted with seasoning until dry - by then they would have a powdery and savory texture. A spoonful scoop of these into your bowl of rice, and you have a delicacy. Additionally, there's an option to roast the boiled pupae until they get charred black; this would give them a different bitter taste, but is not recommended (as it doesn't taste very well, on top of being carcinogenic)

[@renseiryuu]

@@tosyl_chloride Probably like this then? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKu4poOdqrZjpqM at 12:24 I guess it has been dried up first before being stir fried.

[@tosyl_chloride]

@@renseiryuu Yes, basically that (now that you meantion it, yeah. Stir-frying some soggy-wet pupae is going to result in an oil splash festival), but the selection of spices, as well as the purpose of the dish (snack, side dish, etc.) differs country by country.

[@ariefaditya1470]

After Lesley said two to three days straight, starting at 02:33 i imagine it took the camera at least 2 days to record the process, not to mention the whole process to make this video. Deep Look's dedication in making all of their original contents

[@wolfbanesons]

Agreed

[@hokostudios]

These moths are pretty cute! And gosh, so industrious-three days of spinning silk! I suppose it does make sense that humans bred them to be unable to fly, given that makes them much more manageable than a moth that can fly away.

[@joelproko]

I mean, part of it is probably that the non-flightless moths escaped more often, leaving the flightless ones to remain with the silk farmers.

[@hokostudios]

​@@joelproko I mean... You certainly aren't wrong about that being a possible mechanism involved in the development of that trait.

[@ralzamorar1]

they spin silk till valhalla

[@JustWriter]

When you breed yo keep a certain trait, others fall by the wayside.

[@learnzoologywithitsprofess]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4a2c4OKbZhkY7M

[@LuthienNightwolf]

There is also another method of making silk that's cruelty free, called Ahimsa. Instead of boiling the larvae they let them emerge from their cocoons and then harvest the silk after.

[@khaledhuds1420]

But that would break the silk which is sth that is not wanted

[@drewinsch2916]

That's really cool. I was wonder if they use domestic or wild type silkworms for this.

[@tardybloomer]

it should have been mentioned :/ bc at 3:11 she said that once the cocoon breaks, so does the thread. edit: i would love a cruelty free alternative so if this is true, then i would look into it further. thank you

[@Zaxares]

There are some companies which produce silk that do not kill the moths in the process, but the downside is that, as Lesley says in the video, the moths chew their way out of the silk cocoons, so this breaks the thread which means they can only produce shorter lengths of silk, which fetches a lower price. It's also worth noting that, as the video says, once they hatch, the moths only have a few days to live anyway. What's more, in the wild, the vast majority of these moths also wouldn't make it, being eaten by predators. The dead moths also don't go to waste; they're turned into fertilizer or animal feed. So, at the end of the day, if you still prefer your silk from a source that doesn't involve killing the silkworms, there are options available so go for them. :) But in the bigger picture, the moths were always destined to die anyway, and their deaths are usually quite quick. They also live carefree lives with plenty of food and no predators, probably in better settings than most of our domesticated animals that we rear for food.

[@xenomorphisisdilage472]

@@tardybloomer Cruelty is so subjective to you lot.

[@onepipwonder915]

makes me look at each piece of silk in my closet in a whole new light😔 Thank you for this informative video!

[@KQEDDeepLook]

You are welcome.

[@godzillapoggers9416]

Not like theyre even really sentient

[@usa45CC]

Don’t be sad, they make sure they produce more

[@emilyzhang5651]

I don't think you should be sad about it because we eat animals all the time, a lot of the times the pupae gets eaten much like cows, pigs, chicken and lamb. And besides, the adult silk moths don't typically live that long

[@tacitozetticci9308]

@godzillapoggers9416 We have no way to know that. Yes, their nervous system is less centralised, but then you also have basically two brains (your two hemispheres, they're potentially veery independent from one another), yet you experience unity and identify yourself with a single entity.

[@nekkoguy5870]

They're so floofy and cute EDIT: probably until when we zoom in on the larvae

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Alas some of us were not cute larvae

[@nekkoguy5870]

@@KQEDDeepLook touché

[@timeimp]

@@KQEDDeepLook “us”… 🤨

[@Laughing_Dragon]

@@timeimp yes, us, as in people/humans. lol.

[@yolomayans1655]

Yea same with you.

[@Spoopball]

Most species of moth have no mouths when they change into their adult form. That's why they only live for a few days. At that point in the life cycle the mouth is useless, the moth only needs to breed and then lay the eggs (if it's a female)

[@love2000amglam]

This makes me so sad. They worked really hard to get to that stage. 🥺

[@yolomayans1655]

@@love2000amglam thats such a cute comment. But its nature, its the way they can procreate!

[@Spoopball]

@@yolomayans1655 right, it think it's all evolutionary, and part of the food chain balance. If adult moths don't eat, they arnt taking away resources for the next generation, and all the dead moths then go on to feed other animals that finds the body.

[@NicolaiAAA]

I'm honestly surprised at how low the number of silkworms needed for the amount of silk to create just one dress. I thought it would be WAY more than that.

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

I was actually surprised by that as well. I was expecting far far more. A testament to how much thread can be harvested from that amount. I think the moths are bred in the hundreds of thousands anyway

[@learnzoologywithitsprofess]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4a2c4OKbZhkY7M

[@puddingfell5288]

Silk Moths are just the most beautiful winged insects I've seen to date, the silk Worms are beautiful in their own silky way too!

[@maverickbull1909]

ummm the most beautiful? Ever seen a lunar moth? Or idk... any butterfly in the world?

[@drewinsch2916]

The pupae are also also eaten as street food in Korea. "Beondegi" I wonder if they are a side product of harvesting the silk cocoons.

[@sakurashogun]

They are, many cultures that harvest the silk eat the cooked pupa afterwords. Which is great since they are not wasted and only killed for the silk. At least in death their bodies are also used.

[@Sara3346]

I hope so, I think it would be really tragic if we were encouraging people to waste that meat when it could keep more of us alive.

[@poosaypieandsquirt3666]

Same in China. They're actually quite tasty and buttery

[@tosyl_chloride]

mmm yes, stir fried pupae is also a delicacy in Vietnam as well.

[@sueanoimm]

Thailand too! I love eating silk pupae. Delicious!

[@TheGreatAngler]

In Taiwan 3rd grade students have to take care of these silkworms as pets for biology class!

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Oh wow!

[@owenchen3530]

​@@KQEDDeepLook Yes we do . During those time I'm the only one in my class to even successfully grow them into adulthood and causing my biology teacher headache . Because she did not expect any worms will stay alive by our hands not to mention I even have like 5 to 6 pair of couples . So , she was shocked by me the day I took a big insect cage to school and it was full of eggs .

[@brimazzu3223]

I remember learning about the Silk Road in middle school and how silk was made. When the teacher said the cocoons get boiled to harvest the silk, I asked what happen to the worm. The teacher gave a sad sigh, and I was like: “…oh” Still makes me sad, but I learned in this video that silk is used in surgery so I’m iffy about the practice.

[@littlepiglet9885]

These are my favorite animals. Truly fascinating, but sad that their lives are so short. I look forward to raising some this summer.

[@tonllenos]

Those moths look cuddly and cute can we stop killing it😢

[@Avabees]

Seeing the caterpillars in their eggs was really cool!

[@Formula_Zero_EX]

Silkworm: **Builds a cocoon using silk** Human: Yo, can I use your silk to make some swag clothing? Silkworm: Wait what? No. Human: Yay. *Takes silk* Silkmoth: HEY! GET BACK HERE! **Struggles to fly because of its small wings**

[@mullerpotgieter]

I think its more their fat bodies than small wings. We probably bred them bigger for more silk and to prevent escape

[@abdirahmanabdilahi2683]

Hhh Silkworm: Is it worth making me a homeless?

[@amaureaLua]

You skipped the step where the human boils the silkworm alive while it's sleeping

[@arshu_parshu1999]

Silkworms have wings?

[@SaschaUncia]

Wow... Also I want to carefully pat that fluffy chubby moth, it's kind of adorable.

[@Prairie_Gypsy]

Really heartbreaking. I will never buy anything silk again.

[@neliborba101]

I had silkworms as pets when I was a nine year old child. It was amazing watching the silkworms weave their silk thread that made the cocoons. I had to gather leaves to feed them, but nobody knew how to make silk from the cocoons. The silkworms were beautiful and, smooth as velour.

[@LuckyCoinFrog]

Silk worms are also used as a healthy alternative to stinky crickets when feeding reptiles and other insectivores. We raised the caterpillars all the time growing up for our pet bearded dragons.

[@grimaffiliations3671]

Raising one creature to feed it to another is pretty messed up

[@cannedpiss5178]

@@grimaffiliations3671 what about pets that will only live-feed, like tarantulas?

[@Christopher-po8pt]

@@grimaffiliations3671 you vegetarian?

[@grimaffiliations3671]

@@Christopher-po8pt no

[@charlesc.9012]

@@grimaffiliations3671 We raise cows to feed us, and in the process made them a shadow of their mighty ancestors, the auroch. This is more humane than the cattle industry because the life of an adult silk moth is measured in days, less if they get eaten

[@tdbhmusic]

I met a silk moth once. I was working in an office with a Lab in Bristol CT USA. I went to let it outside and it just stayed on my hand, letting the breeze run through its antennae. It was the cutest friendly creature. I wish they were everywhere. Wonder how it ended up there if they can't fly.

[@rainesonne1320]

That’s so sad they can’t live in the wild anymore!

[@Marscandy1]

Imagine spinning a single thread for days on end just to be boiled alive.

[@iplaywithmytoys5732]

I raised these as pets last year and their eggs hatched today.

[@MODDEDbyBACTERlA]

How horrible that these silkworms are killed at such a young- Oh my God a spider! *squish* What was I saying? Oh yeah, these people are the real monsters.

[@eddypuentes6155]

T

[@DUWANGlai_kangyi]

Jokes on you if this is supposed to be a gotcha, some of us actually care about arthropods in general and not just cute moths

[@ciderofthearctic392]

Nah cuz this is me 😭

[@andreavargas8547]

I can't work with silk anymore because I understand that silk is full of trauma.

[@IllyDragonfly]

Compared to the adults the caterpillars ready to cocoon are very long (I saw some during Entomology classes) also to the touch they are almost velvet-y, so cute! :)

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Thanks for sharing, Elena!

[@ShadowStray_]

Silkworms and moths are so cute ☺️

[@ALAPINO]

They're sort of fun to breed. Gave it a go to feed some of my insectivorian animals. Not having a stable source of their only food, Mulberry leaves, I now leave it to the experts.

[@bennettssciencechannel2563]

They are cute

[@shadowki5687]

It's so interesting how we as a species figured out how to rig the system in our favor

[@Sara3346]

And we've done it like what 30 times in a row too? We've got domestic goats aurochses, mouflons, geese, silkworms, honey bees, carps, foxes, rats, rabbits, canaries, pigs, apples, pears, watermelons, wheat potatoes, maize, yeasts and more. All of these have been thoroughly modified by our cultivation of them. That is one thing I don't like about the sort of conclusion this author draws at the end of the video, I feel given that we basically created or at the very least heavily shape the biology of all these organisms.. as a species we really should feel responsible for them instead of simply wanting to throw them away. That's not to say that production ofthat's not to say that production ofthat's not to say that production of their products cannot be made more efficient or more ethical but... Like we will come to regret if we just abandon these sorts of creatures to die. I mean the european colonizers basically did so with the Domestic Peccary and the Wool Dog and now those resources those genes, those snuggles that wool, that meat, those behaviors perhaps unique are flat out gone for no one to learn from any longer. The albeit the destruction of unique domestic organisms I think was much less intentional than the destruction of the natives so it's a little bit harder for me to be mad at that. I mean the turkey, peppers, maize, llamas and more did get preserved and brought worldwide at least?

[@thomasneal9291]

30? Try tens of thousands.

[@Sara3346]

@@thomasneal9291 Please elaborate on how we have tens of thousands of domesticated species, where are all these extras that I'm not aware of? Are they hiding in your back cupboard or something, have they gone extinct?

[@MrJoeyWheeler]

@@Sara3346 And even funnier is how we not only actively domesticated so many animals, but even caused one (cats) to domesticate itself.

[@dweebteambuilderjones7627]

@@Sara3346 I think they meant flowers and such.

[@liliaceae2212]

one of the most adorable insects i've ever seen. this is the first documentary i've seen of this moth, and that was actually kind of sad.

[@benreside9900]

The moth is so cute!!🐛

[@bennettssciencechannel2563]

I am you

[@kimbratton9620]

I remember these fascinating creatures thanks to them being a school assignment of mine long ago!! That moth looks amazing and silk is incredible material, and I had no idea people changed the silk moth!!

[@scarletletter4900]

Ngl, this is probably the least environmentally damaging form of animal husbandry.

[@minikaiju4984]

Now I understand the phrase "With time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown."

[@jeremyphelps5140]

The silk moths are adorable. Like little alien bunnies lol

[@Tinyvalkyrie410]

The cinematography and editing in this one is the best so far!

[@feroexe7965]

I really hope we humans find a way to make artificial silk or any other animal products from scratch, twice the effectiveness of their natural counterparts. It is kinda sad that some animals wouldn't survive without our intervention.

[@alexandervowles3518]

They'd be rendered obsolete, and would probably die out as a species

[@blackosprey2219]

I'd rather we continue boiling more pupae than make more plastic based fabric that'll permanently ruin the ecosystem.

[@LLLadySSS]

There's satin made out of polyester but not as luxurious obviously as actual silk

[@lcy4736]

There are synthetic alternatives to natural fibers. But the thing is the Properties aren't the same as from the natural fibres. Also if we would only rely on the synthetic alternatives it's not a long term solution since the material is not always Recyclable (depending on how it's produced and what other fibres were mixed together)

[@Tetragramix]

Rayon

[@VaniCactii]

I wish silkworms live for 100+ years ;-; they're so cute

[@nautilus5858]

SIlkmoths look so beautiful

[@markgeneroso9976]

I see silk moths at my families property in Wisconsin. Didn’t know that until now. They’re super fluffy and love gentle pets

[@MrH2O1998]

4:30 That shot is beautiful. Is it weird to ask how you guys did it?

[@kevincollinsfilm]

Cameraman here. Thank you! I used a Laowa probe and a bunch of DIY motion control equipment. Here's a video of the setup: kzbin.infoJWi9wD4Sb3U

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Hey Kevin!

[@andreseriliano1761]

Am I the only one who felt bad after knowing their story?

[@javieraragon3768]

Amazing video, glad to live in this era where you can see this for free.

[@omegadragons321]

I don’t like many bugs, but moths are an exception. They’re so fluffy and cute, and seeing them in close up is even better! Thank you for this interesting and wonderful video, Deep Look!

[@jpthepug3126]

I “hate” them cause when ever I’m around one they fly straight to me and I do not like flying insects and most of the moths where I live can get like the size of my head

[@pinkelation853]

I'm happy to say I have never bought anything made of silk. I have only one present that was a silk blanket. Other than that my hands are free from this tragic crime against nature.

[@stevens9625]

Oh damn. I always thought you collect the cocoons after the moths chewed their way out and you spin it like wool/cotton - didn't realize you need continuous, unbroken threads. 😕

[@monarchatto6095]

Samir ricini silk manufaturers do that, that’s why it’s sometimes preferred

[@TragoudistrosMPH]

Probably for maximum yield/efficiency not a necessity. Shorter fibers could work(disclaimer: I don't sew), but would be harder to do, so they boil them alive as a shortcut... 😕

[@theworthysoul]

Some do, it’s about whether the company is hungry for money and efficiency or willing to be more humane.

[@gojira4036]

Pretty sure the it’s not required, it’s a matter of how much silk you get

[@isthatacatinyourpocket2548]

@@theworthysoul a company not being hungry for money as a concept is ridiculous. It’s literally the only reason companies exist

[@davidalvarez8819]

So cute ☺️

[@shreekomkrsna]

Loved it ! Thanks for the great byte

[@reionj8816]

So fascinating, I don't know how you guys get these done so good!! 💯😁 really enjoyed this episode.

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Thanks!

[@triplethinker]

Great video as always, Deep Look! Glad I subscribed 2 million years ago ☺️☺️☺️

[@goldexperience2771]

Bro, these silk moths are adorable!

[@miyabhai]

This channel is great, keep up the good work!

[@nic3521]

So many commenters feeling bad for the moths, but you have to keep in mind that they spend the majority of their lives as caterpillars gorging themselves. Did you not hear the part about the adults having only a few days to live? That's not something humans bred into them, that's their natural life cycle. The moths don't even eat. Their only purpose is to fly around until they find a mate, and with humans to do that part for them they don't even need to fly.

[@Draconiangem]

Odd that these moths only have a few days when other more wild silk moth species (like the Luna Moth) live up to a week. They also have no mouths and change only to mate. They also call the male "flightless". That is not the case with wild moths like the loss of color they mentioned. Captivity breeding has weakened them as a species.

[@JossOwX]

They are also under human care so they dont have to compete and get exist in the wild Their species will continue to live as long as humans live and use them. Life's goal is to reproduce and survive and they're meeting that through us

[@RTaco]

Boiling alive seems like a rough way to go, though.

[@o-poppoo5117]

@@RTaco So is starving to death

[@Thecoffeeconsumer]

I love moths, they're adorable!

[@yuju1195]

I'm so glad I found this yt chanel. The quality of your videos is 🙌

[@enchantgamer1940]

Thankyou for showing the when process ❤

[@theend2697]

This channel is hands down amazing!

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Glad you are here!

[@deshawnglosson6275]

I never knew they went through all that. 😔😞😞. Great video as always keep up the hard work. Sharing with my nieces. Hi girls love and miss yall.

[@palmerinla]

That time lapse of the cocoon is dope!

[@Rick_Sanchez.C137]

Reminding my grandchildren to never throw away silk

[@aleksakitanovic]

I was just wondering few days ago about how silkworms make silk! Great video as always, such great quality! It’s very enjoyable and relaxing! 😍✨

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Thank you, Aleksa!

[@aleksakitanovic]

@@KQEDDeepLook Thank you for replying!!

[@therealzilch]

Nice work as usual. Another use of silk that should be mentioned is strings for musical instruments. It is not only the traditional material for strings from Persia to Japan, but was also popular in Europe until about a hundred years ago. It's a wonderful natural material.

[@PikaChu...........]

Thanks Deep Look!

[@solidboss1000]

kudos to the people involved in the making of this video, stunning visual!

[@TakeAsNeeded4Pain]

I just want to say "thank you" for the gooey, oozing and *moist* sound effects for the web spinning.

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Glad we could help.

[@thelawpayton6927]

Oh god, I feel horrible for what we did to this poor race of bugs

[@garylawson5381]

Your narration is always entertaining, not to mention every video is educational. This channel is unmatched!!!

[@luminyam6145]

That was fascinating, thank you.

[@raydn23]

Thank these lovely creatures for making our textiles.

[@learnzoologywithitsprofess]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4a2c4OKbZhkY7M

[@finchflinches6573]

Oh no, I used to take care of silkworms in my 2nd-grade class. We used to cradle them and play with them, until their last days. I loved them so much and I had just learned about their tragic backstories last week.

[@Fubzo]

Watched this because of the Time-Lapse short. Respect the shots so much more now!

[@hcildwold1751]

Amazing visuals, Awesome watch and kept me in Awe! That's triple A content!

[@dawnmana5876]

You left out where most of those silkworms that are killed on silk harvest aren't wasted. They are eaten by people. They make great protein, and a lot of people love the taste.

[@herpderp3916]

I'm glad the bodies aren't discarded. I believe that when you kill something, you should use as much of its carcass as possible. Just disposing of it almost feels disrespectful to the animal, even if it's "just" a bug.

[@jpthepug3126]

@@herpderp3916 it’s not just a bug without it a lot of us wouldn’t have clothes

[@OakenTome]

@@jpthepug3126 Yes we would, silk’s expensive for a reason.

[@jpthepug3126]

@@OakenTome it’s not expensive

[@Nmohawk21]

Seems a little sad though… if they aren’t boiled alive, they’re stuck walking around with bulbous bodies :(

[@skrubknight884]

i mean, either way its not a great time to be an adult moth. many species of moths, silk moths included, physically can't eat and are basically in a race to breed before they starve to death. having to walk a few feet in an enclosed facility to breed probably is the least of their discomforts.

[@ashutoshnayak06]

4:03 nice syncing of guitar and wing flop

[@ms.pirate]

tbh, the domesticated moth looks cute

[@frzzzzz]

is it me or that moth looks like the radiance

[@lyndsfairne]

I thought so too! Nice to see another Hollow knight fan.

[@carlos2004]

more like the radiance looks like the moth since this moth looks to be the direct inspiration for the design.

[@frzzzzz]

@@carlos2004 actually yeah that makes more sense

[@ciderofthearctic392]

you did not just make a hollow knight refere-

[@frzzzzz]

@@ciderofthearctic392 yes i did

[@smoczayt]

poor moths, It's gonna be good when people find out how to make silk without them so all silk moths could be leaved alone and not boiled I just love moths too much to know that silk ones are boiled before they get to be moths and can't even fly if they do, i must quickly erase that memory

[@LKHooray]

Gonna be real almost started crying when you said they'll never fly and we did that they're beautiful

[@thangri-la]

Omg. Such details! You can see the liquid silk oozing out from the head!

[@Jade_Stone_]

So I have an EXTREME phobia of moths. Like hit the floor and crawl away if it comes near me extreme. That being said the tale of the domestic silk moth actually made me kinda sad. I hope this practice can end someday when we figure out how to replace it with an artificial process.

[@Tetragramix]

Rayon

[@Jade_Stone_]

@@Tetragramix What?

[@erbferdinand8905]

God,i always love this channels video quality,amazing work as always❤️

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Thank you so much 😀

[@bettybunbun9664]

Love watching insects magnified in 4K, really puts me in their world.

[@Hau.H]

Wow!!! So nice!!! Wow!! Just speechless! SUPER VIDEO

[@NganNguyen-cf1gz]

They're kinda cute

[@Gindensetsu]

If only they could fly and eat more variety to live longer :(

[@puppetparkrangerpeggypigta5294]

Silk! Silk! Silk! Wow! This was amazing.

[@SomeGuy-qd3li]

Amazing shots as usual!!

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Hats off to Kevin Collins for a lot of the footage. Kevin is a frequent collaborator of ours. :-) Josh Cassidy, our primary cinematographer also contributed shots..

[@PeeperSnail]

I think the people that assume the silkworms suffer aren’t looking at the whole picture. For one, the silkworms and the moths live carefree lives in the farms. They’re provided ample food, live in an environment without harsh conditions, and are protected from predators and disease. While it is kinda sad the moths cannot fly, they’re otherwise completely fine, you must remember many moth species die very quickly once they turn into adults, as they emerge without mouthparts. There’s also methods of harvesting silk that don’t kill the pupa. They’re not as common as the silk is damaged, but they’re prevalent and something worth noting. Pupa that are killed in the process don’t go to waste, either. They’re edible and a delicacy in many countries. And IIRC they make for good compost, too.

[@synivy4576]

I can’t believe we “domesticated” a insect that’s so cool

[@learnzoologywithitsprofess]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4a2c4OKbZhkY7M

[@benslusher1698]

Absolutely 💯 beautiful! I loved this video!

[@KQEDDeepLook]

Thank you so much!!

[@reginamayoral7978]

I learned this in fashion design !! I’m glad you guys made a video about it 😊