Autophagy is finely regulated at multiple levels and plays crucial roles in development and disease.In the fat body of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, autophagy occurs and Atg gene expression peaks during the non-feeding molting and pupation stages when the steroid hormone (20-hydroxyecdysone; 20E) is high.Injection of 20E into the feeding larvae upregulated Atg genes and reduced TORC 1 activity resulting in autophagy induction in the fat body.