Geelong silkworms are small, domesticated insects that produce Silk from their glands. They are an offshoot of Bombyx mori (the Chinese silk moth) which was probably smuggled into Oceanyka around 1000 BCE, evolving into its own species over 3000 years of mutation and selective breeding. Like its mainland cousin, the Geelong silkworm feeds on leaves and other plant matter, preferring those of the Eucalyptus tree.
The most notable distinguishing characteristic of the Geelong silkworm is that it does not have a reproductive flying state, never becoming a moth. Rather, the silkworm emerges from its voluptuous silk cocoon with reproductive organs, but more or less in a similar shape as before. This means they are wholly reliant on humans for reproduction. Furthermore, it is larger and more productive than its counterpart, though it is very vulnerable to predation. The silk is harvested by boiling the cocoons and unwinding the threads. Once it has emerged from its cocoon in a mature state, the Geelong silkworm is incapable of producing silk, so it is usually eaten after laying eggs.
Geelong silkworms are enormously important in Oceanykan folklore and culture, and remain one of Oceanyka's economic vertebrae.