Ant trap for early detection of red fire ant nests

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of agricultural and animal husbandry biological disaster prevention and control equipment, and in particular to an ant trap for early detection of red imported fire ant nests, comprising a base box, a trap box, a bait tray, a trap door and a trigger device; wherein the base box is a hollow box body with a cover plate provided at the bottom or side, the trap box is installed above the base box, the upper surface of the base box serves as the inner bottom surface of the trap box, an upwardly hinged outward-opening trap door is provided on one side of the trap box, the bait tray is installed in the trap box and connected to the trigger device, a hinged support rod is provided on the inner side of the trap door, and is linked to the trigger device via the support rod; the present invention is based on a trap door mechanism triggered by the residual weight of the bait, which realizes the function of capturing red imported fire ant workers for epidemic verification under the premise of low-cost reuse and easy operation, and can simultaneously realize fluorescent marking of red imported fire ant nests, so that the work of identifying and killing ant nests no longer relies on the characteristics of anthills, thereby preventing the further spread of the epidemic.

Description

Technical field:

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of agricultural and animal husbandry biological disaster prevention and control equipment, and in particular to an ant trap used for early detection of red imported fire ant nests. Background technology:

[0002] The red fire ant is native to South America and is one of the most destructive invasive species. It lacks natural enemies to control it in China and spreads very quickly. It has now spread to more than ten provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and hundreds of county-level administrative regions, causing a serious invasive biological disaster.

[0003] Red imported fire ants are highly aggressive, stinging humans and animals and consuming plants. Their nests can also damage water conservancy facilities, severely harming local agriculture and animal husbandry. Currently, detection of red imported fire ants relies primarily on field visits, questionnaires, and visual identification. Because mature red imported fire ant nests have distinct mound characteristics, this method allows for cost-effective identification of nests that pose a threat to local agriculture and animal husbandry, facilitating subsequent targeted pesticide control and minimizing impacts on native species within the area. However, this method can only reduce the impact of an outbreak, but it cannot effectively control its spread. This is because the feedback from interviews and questionnaires is delayed. Local animals and animals must be attacked by ants before we can conduct interviews to learn about the outbreak. In urban green belts and horticultural areas, where human activity is high and information feedback is fast, we can still learn about the outbreak relatively quickly. However, in agricultural, forestry, and animal husbandry environments, where human activity is low, by the time we learn about an outbreak through interviews, the outbreak is already extremely severe and spreading to surrounding areas. Therefore, it is not effective in limiting the scope of the outbreak. Furthermore, visual identification of anthills requires that the nests mature and form their characteristic mound-like appearance. By this time, the nests have already begun mating flights and spreading. Even if we conduct simultaneous extermination and verification, it is difficult to limit the spread of the outbreak. Therefore, in areas with low human activity, supplementary surveys using bait traps and regular bait checks are necessary.

[0004] Most existing bait trapping devices adopt the principle of conventional insect capture devices, using inactivation devices such as sticky boards or drowning pools to directly inactivate and retain the captured targets along the bait path so that the captured targets can be identified after recovery. However, in the prevention and control of red fire ant epidemics, sticky boards and drowning pool media are consumables and the reuse cost is high. During inactivation, the struggle of red fire ant workers in the sticky medium can easily cause damage to their characteristics, affecting identification. Direct inactivation and retention identification can only confirm whether there are red fire ants in the area, but cannot mark and determine the location of the ant nest. Identification of ant nests still needs to rely on visual observation of anthill characteristics, and cannot be used to identify and kill ants before the nest matures and spreads. Summary of the invention:

[0005] In view of this, it is necessary to provide a red imported fire ant trap that is cheap, reusable, easy to operate, and can assist in determining the location of ant nests.

[0006] An ant trap for early detection of red imported fire ant nests comprises a base box, a trap box, a bait tray, a trap door, and a trigger device. The base box is a hollow box with a cover at the bottom or side. The trap box is mounted above the base box, with the upper surface of the base box serving as the inner bottom of the trap box. An upwardly hinged, outward-opening trap door is provided on one side of the trap box. The bait tray is installed in the trap box and connected to the trigger device. A hinged support rod is provided on the inside of the trap door, which is linked to the trigger device via the support rod.

[0007] The trigger device includes a tray handle, a tray handle support, a linkage rod, a linkage rod shaft and a support rod foot, wherein the tray handle is fixedly connected to the tray, the tray handle support is provided below the tray handle, the linkage rod shaft is fixedly installed in the base box, the linkage rod is hinged on the linkage rod shaft, and when the trap door is open, the two ends of the linkage rod are respectively located below the end of the tray handle and below the end of the support rod, and the support rod foot is installed at the end of the support rod;

[0008] The end of the tray handle, both ends of the connecting rod, and the support rod foot are all equipped with magnets. The end of the tray handle and one end of the connecting rod below it are attracted to each other, and the support rod foot and one end of the connecting rod below it are attracted to each other;

[0009] The magnetic attraction force, mass and dimensions between the bait tray, tray handle, connecting rod and support pole foot shall meet the following requirements: 1) The center of gravity of the bait tray and the tray handle shall be located on one side of the tray handle relative to the tray handle support, and the center of gravity of the connecting rod shall be located on one side of the tray handle; 2) When the end of the tray handle contacts the bottom surface of the trap box, the strength of the magnetic attraction force between it and one end of the connecting rod below and the lever transmission ratio of the connecting rod relative to the connecting rod axis shall be sufficient to release the magnetic attraction state between the support pole foot and the other end of the connecting rod.

[0010] During installation, bait mixed with fluorescent powder, such as plant leaves, seeds, inactivated insects, or carrion, is placed on the bait tray. The weight of the bait should be enough to cause the tray handle to tilt upward, overcoming the magnetic attraction between its own weight and the corresponding end of the linkage rod. In this state, the support leg is placed in place, allowing the support leg and the corresponding end of the linkage rod to attract each other, supporting the trap door to the open state. When the bait attracts red fire ants, they carry the bait back to the nest, scattering fluorescent powder on the ground to mark their path. When the bait is carried to the point where it can no longer overcome the weight of the tray handle, the tray handle moves downward until it contacts the bottom surface of the trap box, interacting with the magnetic attraction of the linkage rod, releasing the magnetic attraction between the support leg and the other end of the linkage rod. The support leg slides into the trap box, and the trap door closes, sealing the trap box and capturing the red fire ants inside. After checking the trap box and confirming that it is a red fire ant, use ultraviolet light or other fluorescent triggering methods to observe the ground to trace the red fire ant nest. There is no need to rely on identifying the characteristics of the anthill, and early detection of the red fire ant epidemic can be achieved.

[0011] To prevent other animals such as rats and birds from triggering the trap, this device should be placed inside a net, cage or other cover, or a removable net or cage should be installed outside the trap box to cover the trap door.

[0012] Preferably, the tray handle support is a bracket fixedly mounted on the bottom surface of the trap box, and the tray handle is provided with a recessed portion for positioning with the tray handle support. Alternatively, the tray handle support is a bracket fixedly mounted on the tray handle, and the bottom surface of the trap box is provided with a recessed portion for positioning with the tray handle support. With this structure, after opening the trap door, the bait tray can be removed as a whole by holding the tray handle, facilitating the reuse of bait loading and unloading operations.

[0013] Preferably, this design also includes a trigger display device, consisting of a switch, a battery, and a light-emitting diode (LED). The switch is linked to the end of the tray handle, a linkage rod, a support rod, or the trap door, and is used to activate the LED when the trap device is triggered and the trap door is closed. This structure makes it easier for personnel inspecting the trap to determine whether the trap has been triggered. The combination of LEDs and batteries allows for multiple, low-cost reuse, facilitating regular monitoring of a specific area. Given the low light intensity of LEDs and the difficulty of tracing the phosphor path during the day, the relevant inspection work of this design is preferably scheduled for nighttime.

[0014] Preferably, the present design further comprises a trap door closing magnet, which is mounted in the base box and is used to attract the support rod foot magnet after the trap door is closed and the support rod slides into the trap box along with the trap door, so that the trap door is tightened and sealed by the magnetic attraction force, thereby preventing the seal from failing due to foreign matter being stuck in the trap door.

[0015] Furthermore, the present design also includes a trap box inactivation device, which consists of a killing agent and a inactivation door. The killing agent is arranged in the base box, and the inactivation door is used to connect the killing agent and the trap box. It is arranged under the support leg when the trap door is closed. The trap door closing magnet is installed on the inactivation door to link the inactivation door with the trap door closing magnet. When the trap door closing magnet and the support leg attract each other, the inactivation door opens. This design can inactivate the red fire ants in the trap box through volatile killing agents after the trap door is closed, preventing them from moving during the time period from the trap door closing to the arrival of the inspector, thereby preventing damage to the characteristics from affecting the identification operation.

[0016] Preferably, the trap door is arranged at an angle so that the trap door has the ability to close by its own weight when it is not supported, thereby reducing the possibility of not closing in place and leaving a gap.

[0017] The present invention provides an ant trap for the early detection of red fire ant nests. The trap door mechanism is triggered based on the remaining weight of bait. Under the premise of low-cost reuse and easy operation, it can capture red fire ant worker ants for epidemic verification. At the same time, it can also realize fluorescent marking of red fire ant nests, so that the work of identifying and killing ant nests no longer depends on the characteristics of anthills, thereby preventing the further spread of the epidemic. Description of the drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the principle structure of a specific embodiment of an ant trap used for early detection of red imported fire ant nests;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a top view of a specific embodiment of an ant trap for early detection of red imported fire ant nests;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the principle structure of the trap door closing action of a specific embodiment of an ant trap used for early detection of red imported fire ant nests;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the opposing lever deactivation door of a specific embodiment of an ant trap for early detection of red imported fire ant nests;

[0022] Figure 5 The present invention is a schematic diagram of the structure of a same-direction lever deactivation door of a specific embodiment of an ant trap for early detection of red imported fire ant nests.

[0023] In the figure: base box 1, trap box 2, bottom surface of trap box 3, bait tray 4, trap door 5, support rod 6, tray handle 7, tray handle support 8, connecting rod 9, connecting rod shaft 10, support rod foot 11, switch 12, battery 13, light-emitting diode 14, trap door closing magnet 15, inactivation door 16. Specific implementation method:

[0024] An ant trap for early detection of red imported fire ant nests includes a base box 1, a trap box 2, a bait tray 4, a trap door 5, and a trigger device. The base box 1 is a hollow box with a cover plate provided at the bottom or side. The trap box 2 is mounted above the base box 1, and the upper surface of the base box 1 serves as the inner bottom surface 3 of the trap box. An upwardly hinged, outward-opening trap door 5 is provided on one side of the trap box 2. The bait tray 4 is installed in the trap box 2 and connected to the trigger device. A hinged support leg 11 is provided on the inner side of the trap door 5, and the support leg 11 is linked to the trigger device.

[0025] The trigger device includes a tray handle 7, a tray handle support 8, a linkage rod 9, a linkage rod shaft 10 and a support rod foot 11, wherein the tray handle 7 is fixedly connected to the tray, the tray handle support 8 is provided below the tray handle 7, the linkage rod shaft 10 is fixedly installed in the base box 1, the linkage rod 9 is hinged on the linkage rod shaft 10, and when the trap door 5 is open, the two ends of the linkage rod 9 are respectively located below the end of the tray handle 7 and below the end of the support rod foot 11, and the end of the support rod foot 11 is installed with the support rod foot 11;

[0026] The end of the tray handle 7, both ends of the connecting rod 9, and the support rod foot 11 are all equipped with magnets. The end of the tray handle 7 and one end of the connecting rod 9 below it are attracted to each other, and the support rod foot 11 and one end of the connecting rod 9 below it are attracted to each other;

[0027] The magnetic attraction force, mass and dimensions between the bait tray 4, tray handle 7, connecting rod 9 and support pole foot 11 meet the following requirements: 1) The center of gravity of the bait tray 4 and the tray handle 7 is located on the side of the tray handle 7 relative to the tray handle support 8, and the center of gravity of the connecting rod 9 is located on the side of the tray handle 7; 2) When the end of the tray handle 7 contacts the bottom surface 3 of the trap box, the strength of the magnetic attraction force between it and one end of the connecting rod 9 below and the lever transmission ratio of the connecting rod 9 relative to the connecting rod shaft 10 are sufficient to release the magnetic attraction state between the support pole foot 11 and the other end of the connecting rod 9.

[0028] During installation, bait mixed with fluorescent powder, such as plant leaves, seeds, inactivated insects, or carrion, is placed on the bait tray 4. The weight of the bait is sufficient to cause the tray handle 7 to tilt upward, overcoming the magnetic attraction between its own weight and the corresponding end of the connecting rod 9. In this state, the support leg 11 is placed in place, allowing the support leg 11 and the corresponding end of the connecting rod 9 to attract each other, supporting the trap door 5 to the open state. When the bait attracts red fire ants, the ants carry the bait back to the ant nest, thereby scattering fluorescent powder on the ground to mark the path. When the bait is carried to the point where it can no longer overcome the weight of the tray handle 7, the tray handle 7 moves downward until it contacts the bottom surface 3 of the trap box, interacting with the magnetic attraction of the connecting rod 9, releasing the magnetic attraction between the support leg 11 and the other end of the connecting rod 9. The support leg 11 then slides into the trap box 2, and the trap door 5 closes and seals the trap box 2, capturing the red fire ants inside. After checking the trap box 2 and confirming that it is a red fire ant, use ultraviolet light or other fluorescent triggering methods to observe the ground to trace the red fire ant nest. There is no need to rely on identifying the characteristics of the anthill, and early detection of the red fire ant epidemic can be achieved.

[0029] To prevent other animals such as mice and birds from triggering the trap, the device should be set in a net, cage or other shelter, or a detachable net or cage covering the trap door 5 should be set outside the trap box 2.

[0030] In this embodiment, in order to prevent the movement path of the support leg 11 from conflicting with the movement path of the tray handle 7, the connection between the tray handle 7 and the connecting rod 9 adopts a broken line structure.

[0031] The tray handle 8 is a bracket fixedly mounted on the bottom surface 3 of the trap box, and the tray handle 7 is provided with a recessed portion for positioning with the tray handle 8. Alternatively, the tray handle 8 is a bracket fixedly mounted on the tray handle 7, and the bottom surface 3 of the trap box is provided with a recessed portion for positioning with the tray handle 8. With this structure, after opening the trap door 5, the bait tray 4 can be taken out as a whole by holding the tray handle 7, which facilitates the reuse of loading and unloading bait.

[0032] The present invention also includes a trigger display device, which is composed of a switch 12, a battery 13 and a light-emitting diode 14. The switch 12 is linked to the end of the tray handle 7 or the linkage rod 9 or the support leg 11 or the trap door 5, and is used to connect the light-emitting diode 14 to work when the trap device is triggered and the trap door 5 is closed. Figure 2 As shown in the accompanying drawings of this embodiment, the switch 12 is mounted on the bottom plate of the trap box 2 and connected to the end of the tray handle 7 or the linkage rod 9. In this embodiment, the switch 12 should be a push-to-close switch 12. This structure facilitates personnel inspecting the trap to determine whether it has been triggered. The combination of LEDs 14 and batteries 13 allows for multiple, low-cost reuse, facilitating regular monitoring of a specific area. Given the low light intensity of LEDs 14 and the difficulty in tracking the phosphor path during the day, the inspection work of this design is preferably performed at night.

[0033] The present design further includes a trap door closing magnet 15, which is mounted in the base box 1. The magnet 15 is used to attract the magnets on the support leg 11 after the trap door 5 is closed and the support leg 11 slides into the trap box 2 along with the trap door 5, so that the trap door 5 is tightened and sealed by the magnetic attraction force, thereby preventing the seal from failing due to foreign matter being caught in the trap door 5.

[0034] This design also includes a trap box 2 inactivation device, which consists of a killing agent and an inactivation door 16. The killing agent is set in the base box 1, and the inactivation door 16 is used to connect the killing agent and the trap box 2. It is set under the support leg 11 when the trap door 5 is closed. The trap door closing magnet 15 is installed on the inactivation door 16 so that the inactivation door 16 and the trap door closing magnet 15 are linked. When the trap door closing magnet 15 and the support leg 11 are attracted to each other, the inactivation door 16 opens. This design can inactivate the red fire ants in the trap box 2 through the volatile killing agent after the trap door 5 is closed, and prevent them from moving during the time period from the closure of the trap door 5 to the arrival of the inspector, thereby preventing the damage to the characteristics from affecting the identification operation. This embodiment provides two specific structural designs of the inactivation door 16, such as Figure 4 The diagram shows a scheme of the opposite lever deactivation door 16, which opens into the base box 1. Figure 5 The diagram shows a scheme of a same-direction lever inactivation door 16 , in which the inactivation door 16 opens toward the inside of the trap box 2 .

[0035] like Figure 4、 Figure 5 As shown, in this case, the trap door 5 can also be set at an angle, so that the trap door 5 has the ability to close by its own weight when it is not supported, reducing the possibility of not closing properly and leaving a gap.

[0036] Under the structure of this embodiment, when inspecting the trap box 2, the trap door 5 is opened from the outside, driving the support rod legs 11 to move outward and attract each other with the connecting rod 9, and at the same time, the tray handle 7 is grasped to take out the tray to achieve the opening and fixing of the trap box 2; when reused, based on the above-mentioned open and fixed state of the trap box 2, after cleaning the trap box 2 and the base box 1, bait is placed on the tray, and the tray handle 7 is grasped to put the bait tray 4 in place to complete the reuse operation.

Claims

1. An ant trap for early detection of red imported fire ant nests, characterized in that: Includes base box, trap box, bait tray, trap door and trigger mechanism; The base box is a hollow box with a cover on the bottom or side. The trap box is installed above the base box. The upper surface of the base box serves as the bottom of the trap box. An upward-hinged outward-opening trap door is provided on one side of the trap box. The bait tray is installed in the trap box and connected to the trigger device. A hinged support rod is provided on the inside of the trap door, and the support rod is linked to the trigger device. The trigger device includes a tray handle, a tray handle support, a linkage rod, a linkage rod shaft and a support rod foot, wherein the tray handle is fixedly connected to the tray, the tray handle support is provided below the tray handle, the linkage rod shaft is fixedly installed in the base box, the linkage rod is hinged on the linkage rod shaft, and when the trap door is open, the two ends of the linkage rod are respectively located below the end of the tray handle and below the end of the support rod, and the support rod foot is installed at the end of the support rod; The end of the tray handle, both ends of the connecting rod, and the support rod foot are all equipped with magnets. The end of the tray handle and one end of the connecting rod below it are attracted to each other, and the support rod foot and one end of the connecting rod below it are attracted to each other. The magnetic attraction, mass, and dimensions of the bait tray, tray handle, linkage rod, and support rod foot must meet the following requirements: 1) The center of gravity of the bait tray and tray handle is located on one side of the tray handle relative to the tray handle support, and the center of gravity of the linkage rod is located on the other side of the tray handle; 2) When the end of the tray handle contacts the bottom surface of the trap box, the magnetic attraction between it and one end of the linkage rod below and the lever transmission ratio of the linkage rod relative to the linkage rod axis are sufficient to release the magnetic attraction between the support rod foot and the other end of the linkage rod; The trap door closing magnet is installed in the base box and is used to attract the support rod foot magnet after the trap door is closed and the support rod slides into the trap box with the trap door, so that the trap door is tightened and sealed by the magnetic attraction force; The invention also includes a trap box inactivation device, which is composed of a killing agent and an inactivation door. The killing agent is arranged in the base box, and the inactivation door is used to connect the killing agent and the trap box. The inactivation door is arranged below the support leg when the trap door is closed. The trap door closing magnet is installed on the inactivation door so that the inactivation door and the trap door closing magnet are linked. When the trap door closing magnet and the support leg are attracted to each other, the inactivation door opens. The trap door is tilted so that it can close by its own weight when it is not supported.

2. The ant trap for early detection of red imported fire ant nests according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tray handle support is a bracket fixedly mounted on the bottom surface of the trap box, and a recess is provided on the tray handle for positioning the tray handle support. Alternatively, the tray handle support is a bracket fixedly mounted on the tray handle, and a recess is provided on the bottom surface of the trap box for positioning the tray handle support.

3. The ant trap for early detection of red imported fire ant nests according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a trigger display device, which consists of a switch, a battery and a light-emitting diode. The switch is linked to the end of the tray handle or the connecting rod or the support rod or the trap door, and is used to connect the light-emitting diode to work when the trap device is triggered and the trap door is closed.

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