Silkworm Rearing House

UNIT 3 SILKWORM REARING

HOUSE
Structure
3.0 Objectives
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Characteristics of Rearing House
3.3 Selection of Site
3.4 Accommodation for Different Activities in Rearing
3.5 Let Us Sum Up
3.6 Glossary
3.7 Suggested Further Reading
3.8 References
3.9 Answers to Check Your Progress

3.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this unit, you will be able to:

n explain the importance of a rearing house;

n judge the structure and orientation of the rearing house;

n discuss the types of rearing houses; and

n explain about the Chawki rearing house.

3.1 INTRODUCTION
In the previous unit, you have learnt about the selection of silkworm breed,
estimation of leaf yield, brushing capacity, selection of disinfectants, methods of
disinfection, maintenance of hygiene etc. Mulberry silkworm is a domesticated
insect which cannot live without sufficient human care. It is also sensitive to high
temperature and relative humidity. Besides good feed, a temperature range of
23°C to 28°C and relative humidity of 75-80% is ideal for silkworm. Though,
there are a number of modern gadgets to regulate the temperature and relative
humidity, investment on them is uneconomical. Therefore, mulberry sericulture is
practiced only in those areas where the climate is congenial and the crops scheduled
is so regulated to avoid seasons with extreme climate. Besides, the silkworm
rearing house is constructed to provide sufficient ventilation and keep the ambiance
sufficiently cool. Due to poverty, many farmers rear silkworms within their dwelling
house which cannot be disinfected due to the pungent nature of the chemicals
used. However, it will be ideal to have a separate rearing house or at least a
separate room for rearing purpose. The present unit deals with different kinds of
rearing houses required for silkworm rearing.
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Basic Concepts
3.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF REARING
HOUSE
A rearing house should essentially provide sufficient bed space for silkworms and
working space for the workers attending the rearing operations, good ventilation
to replace ammonia, carbon dioxide and other noxious gases released by the
silkworms during respiration, excretion, etc. There should be space for leaf
preservation, storing other appliances and chemicals or disinfectants used in rearing.
The rearing house should be provided with mesh or nylon net all around to
prevent entry of uzifly, the most dreaded pest of silkworm. An ante-chamber is
necessary to avoid the entry of uzifly, so that the workers can watch, if the fly
enters along with them. Lizards and rats are the common predators and therefore
construction of a rat-proof sill around the rearing house is necessary. The rearing
house should facilitate making it air tight for fumigation or disinfection to ensure
the fumes or vapours from the disinfectants remain inside the house till the germs
inside are completely eliminated.

Most of the sericulture area falls under warmer zones and the rearing house is
expected to provide a cooler ambience to the silkworm. Use of any material that
keeps the inner environment cool and prevents radiation from the sun is preferred.
Mud wall and thatch roof are the most ideal that can cool the inner ambience to
the maximum, though, its life is shorter and requires repair of the roof once in
every 3-4 years. Hollow cement bricks, burnt earthen bricks and stone slabs are
also used very commonly.

North or south facing of the rearing house is preferred as it provided good

aeration since the wind blows either from the north-east or from the south-west.
This also reduces the chance of direct sunlight falling on the rearing bed either in
the morning or in the afternoon.

Check Your Progress 1

Note: a) Use the spaces given below for your answers.

b) Check your answer with those given at the end of the unit.
1) What do you mean by rearing house?

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2) Why a separate house is required for silkworm rearing?

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3) Write the appropriate characters of rearing house.

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 Silkworm Rearing House
3.3 SELECTION OF SITE
As we use pungent disinfectants, which may be hazardous particularly to those
suffering from respiratory problems, it is ideal to have the rearing houses away
from the thickly populated areas. It is also advisable to keep them off the places
of livestock as the chemicals used may harm them. It is also necessary to avoid
damp areas which facilitate easy multiplication of disease causing germs and
spread of diseases. Areas closer to tobacco barrens, lime or brick kilns, and
industrial establishments emanating dust, smoke and other noxious gaseous are
unfit for rearing activities. Keeping them close to gardens or fields where excessive
pesticides are sprayed is also not advisable.

Shaded areas under large trees are good for locating rearing houses as they
provide cool environment and fresh and clean air in the areas where the temperature
and humidity is high. It is ideal to have the rearing house closer to the mulberry
garden as it will be convenient to feed fresh leaves with very little moisture loss
that occurs during transportation.

Check Your Progress 2

Note: a) Use the spaces given below for your answers.

b) Check your answer with those given at the end of the unit.

1) Why should we keep the rearing house away from thickly populated areas and
livestock?

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2) Why rearing house should be away from industrial areas?

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3) What kind of area is well suited for locating a rearing house?

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4) Which type of site should be selected for high temperature and high humidity
area?

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Basic Concepts
3.4 ACCOMMODATION FOR DIFFERENT
ACTIVITIES IN REARING
The rearing activities involve Chawki rearing, i.e. rearing of young worms usually
of the first two instars; late age rearing, involving the rearing of third to 5th instar
larvae and mounting for spinning. Small farmers use the same rearing house for
all the activities which together lasts for 30-35 days including cleaning and
disinfecting. Larger farmers use separate rearing houses for rearing young (Chawki)
worms and separate mounting hall.

As young larvae (up to 2nd moult) require to be fed with tender chopped leaves
and the bed humidity maintained high (80-85%) and cared much, they are usually
reared in wooden or plastic trays with the worms wrapped in paraffin paper with
one sheet on the floor of the tray and the other above the silkworms fed with the
chopped leaves and the trays placed one above the other in tiers (Fig.3.1).
Around 30-40 square feet of bed area is required for various breeds of silkworms
up to the end of 2nd instar. The space requirement is double if reared up to the
end of 3rd instar. The success of the cocoon crop depends up on the care taken
during the Chawki stage. For maintaining the temperature and humidity, small &
compact room is required to rear young age silkworms. Hence, the concept of
community Chawki rearing under expert supervision and special care is being
promoted. A viable Chawki rearing centre shall rear from 2500 to 5000 layings
per batch which runs for 8 days.

Fig. 3.1: Chawki Rearing

Late age rearing is done in two methods, viz., tray (leaf) feeding associated with
leaf plucking and shoot feeding associated with shoot harvest. In case of leaf
feeding, around 38 m2 of bed area is required for rearing 100 layings. Since the
rearing is done in rearing trays placed on rearing stands in tiers each with 10-12,
it requires a rearing house with a smaller floor area (around 20m2). However, it
requires a higher manpower for feeding operation (Fig. 3.2, 3.3).

Around 70m2 bed area is required for rearing 100 layings in case of shoot
feeding. This is organized by erecting rearing shelves in 4 or 5 tiers. A platform
of 5' x 35' will accommodate 25 layings. A rearing house with floor area of 400
sq. ft. will be enough to rear 100 layings.

Rearing rooms/halls are constructed to accommodate the rearing stands or rearing

racks lengthwise, one set on either side of the room with a reasonable working space.

30 Fig. 3.2: Shelf Rearing Fig. 3.3: Tray Rearing

Fully mature larvae stop feeding, empty their gut and become translucent. They Silkworm Rearing House
crawl (for support) for spinning cocoon around them. At this stage, the worms are
transferred to the mountages. The traditional bamboo made mountages are called
'chandrike'. They can also spin cocoons on straw or dry twigs. There are a
number of improved mountages like plastic collapsible mountages and rotary
cardboard or plastic mountages (Fig. 3.4, 3.5, 3.6) where the wastage of silk is
less. Spinning and pupation lasts for 4 days after which the cocoons are harvested
from the mountages and taken to market. Before spinning, the silkworms urinate
causing a high humidity and pungent smell. Therefore, the spinning worms require
a dry climate with free flow of air to ensure formation of stiff cocoons without
urination spots. Therefore, the mounting halls are almost near open sheds with
wide windows and with wire mesh covering all around.

Fig. 3.4: Bamboo Chandrike and Fig.3.5: Plastic collapsible Fig. 3.6: Plastic Bottle
Rotary Mountage Mountage
Brush Mountage
The environmental condition required for leaf preservation is different from the
silkworm rearing and there is chance of mixing of leaf or shoot with the silkworm
litter if leaf is preserved in the same room where rearing is being conducted.
Hence, separate room is required for preserving the leaf/ shoot. It is suggested
to have a leaf preservation room with each rearing house as the leaf has to be
preserved without moisture loss and free from contamination from the rearing bed
refuse (Fig. 3.7, 3.8). Also, it is advised to have a small disinfection tank to dip
the rearing trays and mountages in the disinfectant solution so that their disinfection
shall be complete.

Fig. 3.7: Plan of Chawki rearing house for 5000 dfls/ crop

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Basic Concepts
W/V W/V W/V W/V

10' × 11'
Leaf Store
D/W Rearing Hall 40' × 18'
10' × 6'
Room

W/V W/V W/V W/V

D – DOOR –– 3'-0'' × 7'-0''

D/W – DOOR WITH WINDOWS –– 3'-0'' × 7'-0''
W – WINDOW –– 3'-0'' × 4'-0''
W1 – WINDOW –– 2'-0'' × 6'-0''
V – VENTILATOR –– 1'-0'' × 1'-6'' (6'' below the roof)
V1 – VENTILATOR –– 3'-0'' × 1'-6'' (4'' below the floor)
S – SINK

Fig. 3.8: Plan of late age rearing house for 200 dfls (Shoot rearing)

Check Your Progress 3

Note: a) Use the spaces given below for your answers.

b) Check your answer with those given at the end of the unit.

1) Why small & compact room is required to rear young age silkworms?

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2) What is floor area required to rear 100 dfls of silkworm in tray rearing
method?

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3) What is floor area required to rear 100 dfls of silkworm in shoot rearing
method?

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4) Why separate room is required for preserving the leaf/ shoot?

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 Silkworm Rearing House
3.5 LET US SUM UP
In this unit, we have learnt what is rearing house and why construction of separate
rearing house is required. For construction of new rearing house the basic
requirements like selection of topography and suitable site are dealt in this unit.
The roof and wall structure of the house depends on the locally available material.
The size of the building depends on the mulberry area and quantum of dfls to be
brushed per crop. The orientation of the building is very important and in tropical
region the best orientation is north-south facing doors and windows north south
direction. It is better to have separate chawki and late-age rearing houses. The
rearing house should have separate leaf preservation room. Construction of separate
mounting hall is necessary to harvest quality cocoons.

3.6 GLOSSARY
Ante-room : Constructed in front of the rearing house to protect from
silkworm pest.

False Ceiling : One more temporary roof below the main roof to control
the temperature of the building.

Mounting Hall : The place where mountages will be placed for mounting
of matured worms.

Mulberry Leaf : The place where mulberry leaf is preserved.

Storage Room

Orientation : Direction of the building.

Rearing House : The place where silkworm rearing is conducted.

Rearing Room for : The place where silkworms are reared from third age up
Late Age Silkworm to spinning.

Rearing Room : The place where silkworms are reared up to second moult
for Young Age (first 8 days).
Silkworm

Size of the : Length and breadth of the building.

Building

Water Logging : A place where water stands continuously.

3.7 SUGGESTED FURTHER READING

Benchamin, K.V. 1990. A Handbook for Sericulture Extension Workers,
Published by Director, CSRTI, Mysore.

Dandin, S.B., Jayant Jayaswal and Giridhar, K. 2000. Handbook of Sericulture

Technologies, Published by Central Silk Board, Bangalore.

Hicks, P.K. 1990. Report on Round-table on Standardization of Design,

Principles for Silkworm Rearing House & Instruments for Sericulture 33
Basic Concepts Development - Published by Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, Bangkok,
Thailand.

Baker, L. 1985. Building for Sericulture Report submitted to Central Silk

Board, Bangalore.

3.8 REFERENCES
A Guide for Construction of Silkworm Rearing House - Published by Member
Secretary, Central Silk Board, Bangalore, 1999.

Ganga, G. 2003. Comprehensive Sericulture - Vol. II, Silkworm Rearing and

Silk Reeling, Published by Oxford and IBH

Rajan, R.K. and Himantharaj, M.T. 2005. A Textbook on Silkworm Rearing,

Published by Central Silk Board, Bangalore.

Seri-business Manual - A Users' Guide (Farm sector) - Published by Member

Secretary, Central Silk Board, Bangalore, 2003.

3.9 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Check Your Progress 1

1) The house where silkworms are reared by providing required environmental

conditions are called rearing house.

2) A separate rearing house is necessary to ensure ambient conditions for successful

crop harvest.

3) The appropriate characteristics of rearing house are:

n Design of the rearing house should meet the biological needs of the silkworm.

n Should provide adequate space for working.

n Should have good ventilation.

n Should have facilities for controlling temperature, humidity, ventilation etc.

n Should be convenient to clean, disinfect and maintain hygienic conditions.

n Should prevent infestation of pests like uzi fly, lizard, ants, birds, rats etc.

n Should have sufficient place for leaf preservation and mounting of

silkworms.

Check Your Progress 2

1) The disinfectants used are pungent, which may be hazardous particularly to

those suffering from respiratory problems. Hence, it is ideal to have the rearing
houses away from the thickly populated areas. It is also advisable to keep them
off the places of livestock as the chemicals used may harm them.
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2) Areas closer to tobacco barrens, lime or brick kilns, and industrial establishments Silkworm Rearing House
emanating dust, smoke and other noxious gaseous are unfit for rearing activities,
as it harms the rearing environment.

3) It is ideal to have the rearing house closer to the mulberry garden as it will be
convenient to feed fresh leaves with very little moisture loss that occurs during
transportation.

4) For the regions having high temperature and high humidity, rearing house should
be built where good aeration and shade are available.

Check Your Progress 3

1) For maintaining the temperature and humidity, small & compact room is required
to rear young age silkworms.

2) 38 m2 of bed area is required for rearing 100 dfls of silkworm in tray rearing
method.

3) 400 sq.ft of floor area is required to rear 100 dfls of silkworm in tray rearing
method.

4) The environmental condition required for leaf preservation is different from the
silkworm rearing and there is chance of mixing of leaf or shoot with the
silkworm litter is there if leaf is preserved in the same room where rearing is
being conducted. Hence, separate room is required for preserving the leaf/
shoot.

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