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Skilled Insect Artisans (1922)
 

Synopsis

Warning: screenonline full synopses contain 'spoilers' which give away key plot points. Don't read on if you don't want to know the ending!

Two species of silk-spinning caterpillars are shown as they weave their cocoons, develop to pupae and finally emerge as butterflies: the Ailanthus silkmoth (Samia synthia), and the Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta). Also shown is a method for mechanically unwinding the silk of the Ailanthus silkmoth's cocoon, revealing the dead pupa its centre.