Bombyx mandarina

"Wild silk moth" redirects here. For the family with that name, see Saturniidae.

Wild silk moth
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Bombycidae
Genus: Bombyx
Species:
B. mandarina
Binomial name
Bombyx mandarina
(Moore, 1872)
Synonyms
  • Bombyx mori mandarina (Moore, 1872)
  • Theophila mandarina Moore, 1872

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 relative which is unable to fly or indeed persist outside human care, the wild silk moth is a fairly ordinary lepidopteran. Its main difference from the domesticated taxon is the more slender body with well-developed wings in males, and the dull greyish-brown colour.