MODEL ANSWER:

The life cycle of the silkworm and silk cloth production on a commercial basis is picturised in the given diagram.

As per the first diagram, eggs are laid on the mulberry leaves by adult moths at favorable conditions. In a period of 10 days, the eggs hatch and silkworm larvae emerge. They feed on the mulberry leaves and in a period between one and 1½ months, they start secreting silk thread, which they encapsulate around themselves. The process continues for about 3 to 8 days until it becomes a ‘cocoon’. Each larva transforms itself to a ‘moth’, which has the ability to fly and the cycle continues.

Turning to the process of silk cloth production, cocoons of superior quality are selected and boiled inside a container to unwind the silk threads. Each thread is about 300 to 900 meters long and the threads are twisted for making it stronger. Dye is applied either to the twisted threads or to the woven silk cloth to make the process complete.

Overall, it is clear that the life cycle of the silkworm is unique and the silk cloth production process is less complex.

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