Paul Homes writes:
When I was a kid I fed mine beetroot leaves. The silk was pink/red
colour.

I had drafted that into my earlier message, but deleted it when I
could not find a single google reference linking silkworms and
beetroot, making me think I had it wrong. So thanks for confirming
that I am not losing my memory! I expect the coloured thread would
not be colourfast, beetroot dye not being a permanent dye (except on
expensive white dinner shirts).
--
John Savage (news address invalid; keep news replies in newsgroup)