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Mediterranean wild silk – the properties of cocoons and fibers

Systematic studies of fibres from unconventional sources, such as pine caterpillar, open the possibility of exploiting a new raw materials. The pine processionary produces a natural, protein type fiber of animal source. Fiber is made out of two fibroin filaments wrapped with sericine, which is characteristic for silk fibers. This type of silk is called Mediterranean wild silk since the occurrence of producer species is reserved for Mediterranean area. The pine processionary is major cause of defoliation of Pinus species in the Mediterranean area, in spite of efforts to reduce the population of this insect in repressive manners. The paper presents the investigation of the morphology and textile - technological properties of Mediterranean wild silk as potential textile material. Silk cocoon nests, as well as the fiber structure and silk cocoon shells of the mediterranean wild silkmoth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa, collected from Adriatic region were studied and compared with the industrial standard, Bombyx mori. Characterization was performed by following methods: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis, fineness, tenacity and elongation at break of fibers.

Mediterranean wild silk, Pine processionary moth, Thaumatopoea pityocampa Schiff., conventional silk fibers, properties

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