The lifetime of silkworm

Some might think that we take the cocoons of moths and spin them to make silk, or at least I've asked that question before.

Unfortunately, this is not the case.

If we wait for the silkworm to emerge from its cocoon, its silk will have degraded and will not be used as fabric.

So, we're looking for silk when the cocoon is still pupating, and you might want to ask the baby silkworms.

Well, the usual procedure is to smother it with steam and then boil it in water, which will melt it and make the gelatinous protein easier to unravel.