ERI

A type of wild silk produced mainly in Assam, West Bengal and neighbouring states. Eri silk comes from family Philosomia ricini or Philosomia cynthia (sometimes called family Attacus because Eri cocoons are open- mouthed at both ends). The silkworms feed on castor oil leaves. In an emergency where castor oil leaves are not available, the rearers can feed the silkworms kesaru (Heteropariax fragrans) leaves, papaya leaves, champa (Plumeria acutifolia) and a few others. The female moth is tied with a string to a roll of straw, called a kharika. If she is not tied she flies about and scatters her eggs. The kharika is hung vertically. When the eggs hatch the kharika is covered with young castor oil leaves. As the hatchlings crawl onto the leaves they are transferred to bamboo trays. The trays are taken indoors and reared there. So, in a way, they are semi-domesticated. They are fed castor oil leaves and when ready to spin their cocoons they are placed on bundles of straw and twigs. The cocoons are made up of bits of length of silk so they cannot be reeled, only spun.