Embioptera both adults and larvae. Unlike "Bombyx mori" and other silk-producing (and spinning) members of both Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera, which only have one pair of silk glands per individual, some species of embiid are estimated to have up to 300 silk glands: 150 in each forelimb. These glands are linked to 'setae-like cuticular process called a silk ejector', and their exceedingly high numbers allow individuals to spin large amounts of silk very quickly, creating extensive galleries (see image below). The silk web is produced throughout all stages of the embiopteran lifespan, and requires very little energy output. The ‘galleries' produced by
Bombyx mandarina true or mulberry silkmoths. The origin of the domesticated silkmoth is enigmatic. It has been suggested that it is the survivor of an extinct species which diverged from the ancestors of "Bombyx mandarina" millions of years ago. However, this is based on an untenable molecular clock hypothesis that assumes that wild and domestic silkmoths evolved equally fast after their lineages diverged. Rather, the effects of artificial selection have accelerated evolution in the domestic form to a point where it is hard to trace the origin of the numerous breeds of domestic silkworms even with the most modern molecular phylogeny methods.