Beneficial insects – silkworm species, rearing, diseases, by-products, economic importance - Question Bank

1. What is the term for the practice of raising silkworms on a commercial scale?
A) Entomology
B) Sericulture
C) Zoology
D) Silviculture
2. The species Attacus atlas, known for producing the largest cocoons among moths, is a source of:
A) Mulberry silk
B) Eri silk
C) Tussah silk
D) Atlas silk (a type of wild silk)
3. The economic value of silk is derived from its properties such as:
A) High elasticity and biodegradability
B) Strength, luster, and drape
C) Water resistance and heat conductivity
D) Brittleness and opacity
4. Which of the following is a major challenge in silkworm rearing related to diseases?
A) Resistance to all known treatments
B) Rapid spread in crowded conditions
C) Caused only by environmental factors
D) Easily preventable with minimal effort
5. The process of spinning the cocoon by the silkworm larva involves the secretion of:
A) Chitin and protein
B) Fibroin and sericin
C) Keratin and melanin
D) Cellulose and lignin
6. The economic importance of sericulture is amplified by its potential to:
A) Increase greenhouse gas emissions
B) Reduce biodiversity
C) Provide livelihood opportunities in rural and semi-urban areas
D) Increase reliance on synthetic fibers
7. Which disease is characterized by the silkworm's body becoming hard, dry, and mummified, often with a chalky appearance?
A) Grasserie
B) Pebrine
C) Flacherie
D) Muscardine
8. The transformation from larva to pupa involves a process called:
A) Ecdysis (molting)
B) Pupation
C) Hatching
D) Metamorphosis
9. The economic significance of Muga silk, unique to Northeast India, is primarily due to its:
A) White color and smooth texture
B) Golden yellow color and luster
C) Low cost of production
D) High protein content
10. Which of the following is a common by-product of silkworm rearing that can be used as a soil conditioner?
A) Silk thread
B) Cocoons
C) Larval excreta (frass)
D) Adult moths
11. The process of selecting healthy eggs for hatching in sericulture is called:
A) Incubation
B) Selection
C) Hatching
D) Disinfection
12. The disease known as 'Atrophy' in silkworms is often linked to:
A) Viral infections
B) Bacterial infections
C) Poor nutrition and hygiene
D) Fungal infections
13. Which of the following is a critical factor for successful silkworm rearing, affecting their health and development?
A) High humidity and low temperature
B) Low humidity and high temperature
C) Optimal temperature and humidity control
D) Fluctuating light conditions
14. The adult stage of the silkworm is a moth that:
A) Feeds voraciously on leaves
B) Spins a cocoon
C) Mates and lays eggs, but does not feed
D) Migrates to warmer climates
15. The economic importance of wild silks like Tussah and Muga lies in their:
A) Low production cost
B) Unique texture and color
C) High susceptibility to diseases
D) Limited market demand
16. Which country is the world's largest producer of silk?
A) India
B) China
C) Vietnam
D) Brazil
17. The primary by-product of sericulture after reeling silk is called:
A) Cocoons
B) Mulberry husks
C) Silk waste (e.g., floss, damaged cocoons)
D) Larval exuviae
18. The pupal stage of the silkworm is characterized by:
A) Rapid feeding and growth
B) Formation of the cocoon
C) Metamorphosis within the cocoon
D) Mating and egg-laying
19. Which of the following is a fungal disease affecting silkworms, often appearing as a greenish or greyish mold on the body?
A) Pebrine
B) Flacherie
C) Muscardine
D) Grasserie
20. A deficiency in mulberry leaves can lead to stunted growth and reduced silk yield in silkworms, highlighting the importance of:
A) Pest control
B) Disease management
C) Nutrition
D) Temperature regulation
21. What is the term for the process of removing the sericin gum from raw silk before weaving?
A) Reeling
B) Throwing
C) Degumming
D) Bleaching
22. The economic contribution of sericulture includes not only silk production but also:
A) Honey production
B) Employment generation in rural areas
C) Timber production
D) Livestock breeding
23. The immature stage of the silkworm, where it undergoes multiple molts, is the:
A) Egg
B) Larva
C) Pupa
D) Adult
24. Which silkworm species is primarily associated with the production of wild silk?
A) Bombyx mori
B) Samia cynthia ricini
C) Antheraea species
D) Bombyx textor
25. Mulberry cultivation, essential for Bombyx mori rearing, is a significant part of the sericulture industry and is known as:
A) Pomology
B) Olericulture
C) Moriculture
D) Silviculture
26. The silk glands of the silkworm larva are homologous to the:
A) Digestive glands of insects
B) Salivary glands of insects
C) Reproductive glands of insects
D) Respiratory organs of insects
27. Flacherie is a disease affecting silkworms caused by:
A) Protozoa
B) Fungi
C) Viruses
D) Bacteria
28. What is the term for the process of killing the pupa inside the cocoon to prevent emergence and damage to the silk filament?
A) Harvesting
B) Stifling
C) Sorting
D) Dyeing
29. The rearing of silkworms is typically done indoors in controlled environments known as:
A) Apiaries
B) Sericulture houses
C) Orchards
D) Nurseries
30. Which of the following is NOT a stage in the life cycle of a typical silkworm?
A) Egg
B) Larva
C) Nymph
D) Pupa
31. The economic importance of silkworm by-products like silk waste lies in their use for:
A) Animal feed
B) Fertilizers
C) Manufacturing spun silk and other textiles
D) Biofuel production
32. Tussah silk is a type of wild silk produced by larvae that feed on:
A) Mulberry leaves
B) Castor leaves
C) Oak and other host plant leaves
D) Sorghum leaves
33. Eri silk, known for its breathable and insulating properties, is produced by which silkworm species?
A) Bombyx mori
B) Antheraea mylitta
C) Samia cynthia ricini
D) Attacus atlas
34. The silkworm species Antheraea assamensis is known for producing which type of silk?
A) Tussah silk
B) Eri silk
C) Muga silk
D) Mulberry silk
35. What is the primary economic importance of sericulture?
A) Production of honey
B) Production of valuable silk fabric
C) Pollination of crops
D) Production of natural dyes
36. Which of the following is a by-product of sericulture that can be used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals?
A) Silk waste
B) Mulberry leaves
C) Sericin
D) Chitin
37. The process of unwinding the silk filament from the cocoon is known as:
A) Reeling
B) Spinning
C) Weaving
D) Degumming
38. The raw silk filament is coated with a gummy substance called sericin. What is its primary role?
A) To provide nutrition to the larva
B) To act as a waterproofing agent
C) To bind the two filaments together and protect the cocoon
D) To attract mates
39. Which part of the silkworm's body is responsible for secreting the silk fibroin?
A) Spinneret
B) Salivary glands
C) Malpighian tubules
D) Silk glands
40. Grasserie is a viral disease that affects silkworms, leading to symptoms like:
A) Black spots on the body
B) Weakness and translucence of the body
C) Hardening and mummification of the body
D) Loss of appetite and diarrhea
41. Muscardine disease, characterized by a white powdery growth on the silkworm body, is caused by:
A) Nosema bombycis
B) Beauveria bassiana
C) Bombyx mori densovirus
D) Bacillus thuringiensis
42. Pebrine disease in silkworms is caused by a microscopic organism belonging to which group?
A) Bacteria
B) Fungi
C) Protozoa
D) Viruses
43. Which of the following is a major bacterial disease affecting silkworms?
A) Grasserie
B) Muscardine
C) Pebrine
D) Flacherie
44. The casing spun by the silkworm larva around itself is known as a:
A) Cocoon
B) Chrysalis
C) Nest
D) Web
45. Which stage of the silkworm life cycle produces the silk thread?
A) Egg
B) Larva
C) Pupa
D) Adult
46. The process of raising silkworms for silk production is called:
A) Apiculture
B) Sericulture
C) Aquaculture
D) Horticulture
47. What is the primary food source for the larvae of Bombyx mori?
A) Castor leaves
B) Mulberry leaves
C) Neem leaves
D) Pine needles
48. The larval stage of the silkworm, responsible for feeding and growth, is also known as the:
A) Pupa
B) Egg
C) Adult moth
D) Larva
49. Which is the most commonly cultivated silkworm species globally for commercial silk production?
A) Antheraea assamensis
B) Samia cynthia ricini
C) Bombyx mori
D) Attacus atlas