Absolum's Cousin Eric
By ARM
@responsiveme (22926)
India
July 25, 2018 9:50pm CST
@FayeHazel posted a discussion on a green caterpillar which she found in her garden and named Absolum.
Coincidentally, my friend who owns a farm sent me a photo of another large green caterpillar. I named him Eric.
Eric, because he is an eri silk worm. Eric is from the Samia Cynthia Ricini family. These are domesticated creatures who feed on Castor plants. The caterpillar feasts on these large leaves and makes the cocoon, after the moth leaves the cocoon these are harvested and spun into fibre.The heavy rainfall and humid conditions of the northeastern part of India make this a favourable place to cultivate this silk.
Eri silk is soft,white and wooly. It is used traditionally to make shawls for winter.
Nowadays many designers blend them with. bamboo, cotton and other silks to produce dress and home furnishing materials.
Photo:My friend holding Eric
14 people like this
15 responses
@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
26 Jul 18
Well now I have learned something new. I always thought silk worms had to feast on mulberry leaves.
4 people like this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Jul 18
That is mulberry silk.Bombyx Mori
I love all natural fibres
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Jul 18
That's the Bombyx Mori ...Mulberry silk worm
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
27 Jul 18
@responsiveme I love silk. I have brought home from mom's apartment several silk shirts and dresses. I am going to adjust to my size.
2 people like this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
27 Jul 18
@LadyDuck that will be wonderful both for the material and the memories
2 people like this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Jul 18
Silk is such a beautiful fabric ,isn't it?
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
27 Jul 18
@responsiveme Oh I see. (Did you see that I did as you asked?)
2 people like this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
27 Jul 18
On the castor plants, they may be fenced in.
2 people like this
@just4him (306080)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
26 Jul 18
@responsiveme I've seen a picture of one.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
26 Jul 18
Oh that is very cool. A most useful creature and I like that the moth doesn't need to be harmed to get the silk. Good luck on transforming into a moth, Eric!
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Jul 18
That's why this silk is also called Ahimsa silk and is popular among monks
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
26 Jul 18
@responsiveme I just looked up Ahimsa silk I love it - the more humane idea and the fabric is pretty
1 person likes this
@Jessabuma (31700)
• Baguio, Philippines
26 Jul 18
Nice worm name hehe!!! I am scared to caterpillars it any kinds of worms
2 people like this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Jul 18
This is not the type of cater pillar that causes itching, so my friend must have held it
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79699)
• United States
26 Jul 18
Eric certainly contributes much to this world. I never knew that about silk worms.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79699)
• United States
26 Jul 18
@responsiveme Eric and others aren't given the recognition they deserve. Who would have thought they would have to work so hard
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Jul 18
@Marilynda1225 Well, the silk is called Eri silk.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Jul 18
I do love silk fabrics.. thankful to worms like Eric and others
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325693)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Aug 18
Like @GardenGerty I thought they ate mulberry leaves. It's interesting to learn new things.
@acelawrites (19273)
• Philippines
26 Jul 18
Are they eating mulberry leaves too? I saw that in one of the experimental stations in our country.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
26 Jul 18
This fellow eats only castor leaves. Mulberry silk worms are different
@dgobucks226 (34348)
•
27 Jul 18
Very interesting info on the silk worm and their climate preferences. I guess we should thank Eric and his friends for providing us the raw materials for the clothes we buy and wear 
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
27 Jul 18
My friend who has a farm is rearing Eric and his family, and plans on making cloth from the silk.Not commercially, just a garment for her daughter.
Isn't that great ?
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20261)
•
28 Jul 18
Silk from Eric's spit, right? 
(I saw quite a few caterpillas which look exactly like your Eric, but they might not be the same type???)
(I saw quite a few caterpillas which look exactly like your Eric, but they might not be the same type???)