ABSTRACT The Eri silkworm Samia cynthia ricini is a non-mulberry, domesticated, multi-voltine insect, producing spun silk, which is mostly found in Assam and Meghalaya, which are known as traditional states of Eri Silkworm in India. Its primary food plants are Castor (Ricinus communis) and Papaya (Carico papaya) and the secondary food plants include like Jatropa, Tapioca etc. Of late, Ericulture is spreading to other states like Bihar, West-Bengal, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, owing to the availability and suitability of high-yielding castor varieties. The present study is focused on the qualitative analysis of proteins and carbohydrates, and the estimation of enzymes amylase and protease in the haemolymph of fifth instar worms during different seasons. The study revealed an increased metabolic activity during winter, providing an insight into the physiological strategy of survival adopted by this silkworm species during winter (18-28 °C).
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