Editing Bombyx mori (section)

=== Moth ===
The moth is the adult phase of the silk worm's life cycle. Silk moths have a wingspan of {{convert|3|–|5|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} and a white, hairy body. Females are about two to three times bulkier than males (due to carrying many eggs). All adult [[Bombycidae]] moths have reduced mouthparts and do not feed.

The wings of the silk moth develop from larval [[Imaginal disc|imaginal disks]].<ref name="Singh 169–176">{{Cite journal |last1=Singh |first1=Amit |last2=Kango-Singh |first2=Madhuri |last3=Parthasarathy |first3=R. |last4=Gopinathan |first4=K. P. |date=April 2007 |title=Larval legs of mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori are prototypes for the adult legs |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17417803/ |journal=Genesis |volume=45 |issue=4 |pages=169–176 |doi=10.1002/dvg.20280 |issn=1526-954X |pmid=17417803|s2cid=7171141 }}</ref> The moth is not capable of functional flight, in contrast to the wild ''B. mandarina'' and other ''Bombyx'' species, whose males fly to meet females. Some may emerge with the ability to lift off and stay airborne, but sustained flight cannot be achieved as their bodies are too big and heavy for their small wings. 
[[File:Bombyx mori caterpillar tagged2.png|thumb|2- thoracic legs.]]
[[File:CSIRO ScienceImage 10746 An adult silkworm moth.jpg|thumb|left|Adult silk moth]]

The legs of the silk moth develop from the silkworm's larval (thoracic) legs. Developmental genes like Distalless and [[PBX1|extradenticle]] have been used to mark leg development. In addition, removing specific segments of the thoracic legs at different ages of the larva resulted in the adult silk moth not developing the corresponding adult leg segments.<ref name="Singh 169–176"/>[[File:Cocoon.jpg|thumb|right|Cocoon of ''B. mori'']]