The diagrams below show the life cycle of the silkworm and the stages in the production of silk cloth

The diagrams below show the life cycle of the silkworm and the stages in the production of silk cloth.

This essay question is from Cambridge IELTS 6 Test 3 Writing Task 1.

Life cycle of the silkworm

Sample Essay

The diagrams illustrate the life cycle of the silkworm and the industrial process by which its cocoons are transformed into silk cloth.

Overall, the silkworm undergoes four distinct biological stages, from egg to larva, cocoon, and adult moth, whereas the production of silk fabric involves six systematic steps, beginning with cocoon selection and ending with dyeing.

The life cycle starts when a female moth lays eggs. After roughly ten days, these hatch into larvae, which feed exclusively on mulberry leaves for four to six weeks. Once mature, the larvae spin protective cocoons around themselves by secreting a continuous strand of silk. This spinning process lasts between three and eight days, after which the larvae remain encased for around sixteen days before emerging as adult moths. The cycle then repeats with the laying of new eggs.

For silk production, suitable cocoons are carefully selected and boiled in hot water to loosen the silk fibers. The strands, which may extend from 300 to 900 meters in length, are then unwound, twisted together into stronger threads, and either dyed directly or woven into cloth prior to the dyeing stage.