''Bombyx'' is the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of true silk moths or mulberry silk moths of the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Bombycidae The Bombycidae are a family of moths known as silkworm moths. The best-known species is ''Bombyx mori'' (Linnaeus), or domestic silk moth, native to northern China and domesticated for millennia. Another well-known species is '' Bombyx mandarina' ...

, also known as silkworms, which are the larvae or caterpillars of silk moths. The genus was erected as a subgenus by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

in his 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'' (1758).

Etymology

The word bombyx comes from Ancient Greek βόμβυξ, which means "silk-worm" or "silk garment".
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Species

* '' Bombyx horsfieldi'' (Moore, 1860) * '' Bombyx huttoni'' Westwood, 1847 * '' Bombyx incomposita'' van Eecke, 1929 * '' Bombyx lemeepauli'' Lemée, 1950 * ''

Bombyx mandarina ''Bombyx mandarina'', the wild silk moth, is a species of moth in the family Bombycidae. It is the closest relative of ''Bombyx mori'', the domesticated silk moth. The silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of a silk moth. Unlike the domesticated ...

'' (Moore, 1872) – wild silk moth * ''

Bombyx mori ''Bombyx mori'', commonly known as the domestic silk moth, is a moth species belonging to the family Bombycidae. It is the closest relative of '' Bombyx mandarina'', the wild silk moth. Silkworms are the larvae of silk moths. The silkworm is of ...

'' (Linnaeus, 1758) – domestic silk moth * '' Bombyx rotundapex'' Miyata & Kishida, 1990 * '' Bombyx shini'' Park and Sohn, 2002

Hybrids

Two instances of semi-natural hybridisation are known within this genus: * ''Bombyx'' hybrid, a hybrid between a male ''B. mandarina'' and a female ''B. mori'' * ''Bombyx'' second hybrid, a hybrid between a male ''B. mori'' and a female ''B. mandarina''

Food

The

caterpillars Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...

feed on

Moraceae Moraceae is a family of flowering plants comprising about 48 genera and over 1100 species, and is commonly known as the mulberry or fig family. Most are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, less so in temperate climates; however, their ...

, especially on mulberries ('' Morus'' species). Domestic silkworms may be fed artificial mulberry chow.

References

Bombycidae Bombycoidea genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Bombycidae-stub