Studying silkworms honors ancient tradition

Since late April, Qin Li has been busy putting baby tussahs - an Asian silkworm - in oak trees, scaring away magpies and conducting biological research.

The 54-year-old is director of Shenyang Agricultural University's Tussah Institute. He has studied tussahs for nearly 30 years, focusing on the silkworm's relationship with oak trees as well as its immune responses and breeding habits.

"Unlike South China's silkworms, the northern tussah has a unique value in terms of ecological farming, increasing farmers' incomes and DNA research," Qin said.