蟻ぎ蚕さん

noun

young silkworm (first or second instar)

Technical term in sericulture. Refers to the tiny, dark, ant-like stage of silkworm larvae. Compare 毛蚕 (けご), which refers to the newly hatched first instar with hair-like setae.

See also: 毛蚕

• 蟻ぎ蚕さんはまだ小ちいさく、桑くわの葉はを細こまかく刻きざんで与あたえる必ひつ要ようがある。

  Young silkworms are still small, so you need to feed them finely chopped mulberry leaves.