Silk, Dyes, Jewelry, and More: Insect-Derived Art Through the Ages
A recent review showcases the myriad ways insects can serve as an artistic medium. Explore some of these examples, ranging from beeswax sculptures to scale-insect dyes.
Study Sheds Light on Origins of Unique Silkworm Strain
Dubbed a "living fossil" by researchers, the Yao silkworm has been domesticated in virtual isolation for a millennium by the Baiku Yao ethnic group in China. New genetic research on the strain finds that the Yao silkworm is a primitive form of the domestic silkworm species Bombyx mori and more distantly related to other wild silkworm species.
Study Shows Common Fungicide Impairs Silkworm Silk Production
A study in Brazil finds that a common fungicide can impair the oxygen consumption and silk production of silkworms if applied to their preferred food source, mulberry leaves.
Silkworm: The Underappreciated Life Science Model Organism
The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a unique economic insect, and it also offers promise as a model organism for life-science research.