Silk Worms (kaiko)

This is the English portion from my new blog documenting the life of my silk-worms. The blog is in both English and Japanese.

Yesterday, the local grade-school teacher gave me a brood of kaiko (silk worm) eggs. Many of them had already hatched, but there are still some eggs left. The silkworms eat kuwa (mulberry) leaves, but I had no idea where to gather the leaves. This morning I awoke to find hundreds of hungry worms waiting for breakfast. Luckily, the sensei appeared at the door with a handful of kuwa leaves, and took me out to show me where to find them on my own.

Today's Silkworm Observation Report
Growth Stage：
Room Temperature：13.5 - 14 c　(however, we do not heat our home, so the night time temperatures must have been cooler)
Length：2.5mm
Weight：To small to weigh

Things I noticed： As I picked them up with tweezers, they were already spinning silk threads. I wonder if this is something they always do, or only something they do when they are surprised or afraid. If it is something they do constantly, they must have an enormous appetite. I have a lot of work ahead of me to gather enough leaves.

While I was looking at one under the magnifying glass, it committed suicide, leaping to its death from my finger in to the carpet. As much as I searched, I was not able to find him among the long fibers. Rest in peace Thomas (that was the name I had given him just before he jumped).