Our science this semester is looking into life cycles of plants and animals. JS4 are currently nurturing zebra silkworms which we have raised since they hatched out of their tiny little eggs in week 6. There are 60 silkworms in our care and we are feeding 30 of them the leaves from a black mulberry tree and the other 30 leaves from a white mulberry tree. So far, those fed the white mulberry leaves are growing at a much faster rate. We can not wait to see if the silk they weave into cocoons is different and finally if the moths that hatch are any different. After moulting several times, we have discovered one of our silkworms is albino. We named it Kouki, which means Little Snow in Japanese.

The silkworms are finally large enough for us to handle with our hands. They do feel a little creepy as they grip onto our skin. So far not all of us have been brave enough to let the silkworms crawl on our hands. Maybe we will all gain the confidence soon.

A big thank you to Miss Anne-Maree for providing our mulberry leaves and for looking after the silkworms each weekend and over the September holidays.

Miss Cann and  Miss Anne-Maree