Happy Thanksgiving from Kraig Biocraft Laboratories.
This week we witnessed the first silk moths emerging from cocoons that started from eggs in the new Michigan office. This is just the first of many batches of many Silk moths we expect over the remainder of this month. The new facility is currently housing Dragon Silk silkworms in all 5 instars’ (stages of growth) and is also rearing several other transgenic lines. The Company expects to significantly expand throughput as we look to close out the fourth quarter on a high note.
The Company has started hiring and training additional production staff and has hired a new a new molecular biologist, whom we’re very excited about. He will be starting the week after thanksgiving.
The build out of new Laboratory space in the Michigan office is well underway and equipment is already starting to come in. Over the next several months we will be expanding our laboratory staff, equipment, space, and capabilities.
Here are just a few of the images we took this week in the lab.
Below are Dragon Silk cocoons spun on the mounting mesh. Within the next couple of weeks they will emerge and create the next generate of Dragon Silk silkworms
Dragon Silk Cocoons
Entering the second instar these silkworms below would fit on the tip of your finger, but are already 20 times larger than when newly hatched.
2nd Instar Dragon Silk silkworms
Another batch is now in their third Instar, they are now half the length of your finger and the amount of food they consume is growing exponentially. By the time they reach their 3rd molt they will be more than 700 times their birth weight, roughly a week and a half ago.
3rd Instar Dragon Silk silkworms
Photos of emerged silk moths are always some of our favorites. Here for Thanksgiving is a female Dragon Silk moth which emerged from cocoon this week and getting ready to take her place in growing our Dragon Silk colony.
Dragon Silk moth
2017 has been a great year for Kraig Labs and as we look forward to tomorrow’s holiday, we have much to be thankful for. Opening our new research and production headquarter, expanding our production and research team, the follow on contract for the US Army, and opening our mulberry farm in Texas are just a few of the many significant milestones and accomplishments we’ve celebrated this year.
From the entire Kraig Labs team, we wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and a prosperous New Year