The phrase you provided corresponds to a well-known crossword clue: the eight- letter answer is SILKMOTH. This insect has been domesticated through thousands of years of human-directed breeding and is now effectively dependent on humans for reproduction, as wild populations do not retain viable reproductive behavior under typical domestic conditions.
Explanation and context
- Domestic silk moths (Bombyx mori) have been bred for silk production for millennia, with selective breeding shaping traits that are advantageous for humans but often reduce the insects’ ability to reproduce without human intervention. This culminates in a dependency for reproduction on human-managed environments and methods.
- Modern references and crossword discussions identify SILKMOTH as the answer to the clue “Domesticated insect entirely dependent on humans for reproduction,” reflecting the species’ extreme domestication status.
