Ovum collection device

Abstract

An apparatus (1) having a container (2) for housing insects; a receiving member (200) on which the insects in the container can lay eggs; and an actuator (10) to remove the receiving member from the container once eggs have been laid thereon. The apparatus is used to remove individual insect eggs from a container containing a number of live insects. Once removed from the container, the individual insect eggs can be used in an individualised rearing process.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting eggs, a method of collecting eggs, jars for incubating eggs and methods of using the jars. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus, jars and methods for collecting and incubating insect eggs.

[0002] It is desirable to rear insects individually to maximize the yield and quality of the insect population. High quality populations are useful for insect sterilization. In this technique, a reared insect population is sterilized and then released to compete with other insects. Preferably, all members of the released population are well adapted to mating and competing with the existing population into which they are released. Individualized rearing is useful because it allows the conditions experienced by each insect to vary depending on the development of that particular insect. As the rearing conditions, such as diet, light and temperature, are individually tailored to each insect, individually optimized populations can be produced.

[0003] Individualized rearing preferably begins with a single insect egg. This egg is separated from other eggs and the rearing process is begun.

[0004] One challenge in this method is how to precisely place one insect egg into each individual rearing jar. It is difficult and labor intensive to do this manually, however, due to the fragility and texture of the eggs, it is difficult to manipulate the eggs mechanically.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to address one or more of these problems.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for collecting insect eggs, comprising;

[0007] a container for containing an insect,

[0008] a receiving member for receiving an egg laid by the insect,

[0009] an actuator for removing the receiving member from the container.

[0010] The fact that the receiving member can be removed from the container allows the receiving member to be individually inspected to determine if an egg has been laid on or in the receiving member. If an egg has been laid on or in the receiving member, the egg can be removed and the receiving member can optionally be replaced into the container. Alternatively, the receiving member and egg can be taken for further processing or development. The device can be provided with a plurality of receiving members. The receiving members can be arranged in a series, for example a row of spaced apart receiving members. Preferably, the receiving members are individually removable from the container by the actuator. This enables a receiving member on or in which an egg has been placed to be removed whilst leaving other receiving members within the container to await an insect laying an egg thereon / in. If it is unclear whether an insect egg has been laid on or in a receiving member within the container, then that receiving member can be removed for analysis only. This allows the operator to leave other receiving members within the container to increase the chance that an insect in the container will lay an egg on or in the remaining receiving members. This provides an efficient collection process.

[0011] Preferably, the insects within the container are unable to escape the container when the receiving member is removed from the container.

[0012] The actuator can be adapted to introduce the receiving member into the container. This is useful because if no eggs are laid on the container, the receiving member can be replaced into the container.

[0013] The actuator can be adapted to remove the receiving member in a first orientation and move the receiving member to a second orientation. This movement can comprise turning the receiving member upside down.

[0014] The container can cooperate with both (or either) the receiving member and the actuator when the receiving member is removed from the container to ensure that any insects present in the container are prevented from escaping the container.

[0015] The container can be provided with an interface,

[0016] wherein the actuator is adapted to remove the receiving member from the container via the interface,

[0017] and wherein the interface cooperates with the receiving member to prevent insects within the container from escaping the container. This cooperation allows the receiving member to be removed from the container whilst retaining the insect population within the container.

[0018] The container can be provided with an interface,

[0019] wherein the actuator is adapted to remove the receiving member from the container via the interface,

[0020] And wherein the interface cooperates with the receiving member to prevent insects within the container from escaping the container. This cooperation allows the receiving member to be removed from the container while maintaining the insect population within the container.

[0021] The interface can cooperate with both the receiving member and the actuator such that when the receiving member is removed from the container, any insects within the container cannot escape the container

[0022] The interface can be formed as a rigid aperture. This provides a defined boundary which does not deform relative to the actuator and / or receiving member. An exact small distance between the edges of the aperture can thus be maintained. This is useful for providing a consistent insect holding in the container. Since it is convenient to provide a container with rigid walls, it also provides an easily manufactured device.

[0023] The width of the gap between the interface and the surface of the actuator and / or receiving member which cooperates with the interface can be less than 1 mm, less than 0.5 mm, and preferably less than 0.2 mm. These ranges are particularly preferred for adult insects which cannot escape through such a narrow gap, such as moths.

[0024] The interface can be formed as a slit, wherein at least one wall of the slit is flexible. This can provide a sealing cooperation between the interface and the receiving member and / or actuator to prevent insects from escaping when the receiving member is removed from the container.

[0025] The receiving member can comprise a pot. This is useful when the insects to be retained in the container need to retain food in the receiving member. One example of such an insect is the cherry fruit fly (Drosophila suzukii).

[0026] The receiving member can be recessed relative to the surface of the actuator. This prevents eggs from being scraped off the receiving member (e.g. from the edges of an aperture or sealing device) when the device is removed.

[0027] The receiving member can comprise a substantially flat disc. Disc shaped means that the disc is easy to position (e.g. on the actuator) without having to first orient the disc. The flat nature of the disc provides an attractive oviposition site for many types of insects.

[0028] The surface area of the receiving member can be in the range of 1-250 mm 2 or 50-100 mm 2 , preferably about 79 mm 2 .

[0029] The receiving member can have a generally square, rectangular, oval or cruciform shape. The receiving member can be provided with grooves, ridges or other features which make certain areas of the receiving member more attractive to oviposition by the eggs, or which assist in positioning the eggs on the receiving member. Preferably, these features are provided on a generally smooth placement surface. The features can be centrally provided on the receiving member to encourage the insects to oviposit centrally on the receiving member. This makes it easier to process the eggs.

[0030] The receiving member (or each of a plurality of receiving members) can be removably detachable from the rest of the device. This allows the receiving member(s) to be taken from the device when each receiving member has received eggs for further processing.

[0031] The receiving member can be removably engaged with an engagement portion of the actuator. The engagement portion of the actuator can be a groove for receiving the receiving member. The engagement portion provides a defined position for the receiving member on the actuator. This is useful if there are a plurality of receiving members on the actuator.

[0032] The receiving member can comprise a transparent portion. This is useful for identifying whether or not eggs have been placed on or in the receiving member. It is also useful if the receiving member is removable from the device such that it forms a lid for a container. The user can then see inside the container to monitor whether or not the eggs have hatched and to monitor the development of the insects in the jar (which comprises the lid). This is particularly useful in the case of insects which have a low fertilisation rate, as jars containing unhatched eggs can be emptied and recycled in time, without occupying unnecessary processing time beyond what is required.

[0033] The device can be provided with a plurality of receiving members which can be independently removed from the container. One or more receiving members can be taken from the container at the same time, while leaving one or more other receiving members in the container for use as a place where the insects can oviposit. This provides an efficient and rapid process, as the receiving members are only removed from the container for monitoring. The opportunity for oviposition on the other receiving members is therefore maximised.

[0034] The actuator and the container can be adapted to rotate relative to each other. This is particularly useful when a plurality of receiving members are located on the actuator,

[0035] When the actuator is rotated relative to the container, the receiving member moves from inside the container to outside the container, and,

[0036] When the actuator is rotated further relative to the container, the receiving member moves from outside the container back to inside the container.

[0037] This provides an efficient removal process in which all receiving members spend a substantially equal amount of time within the container. It also provides a simple way of reintroducing the receiving members into the container once they have been monitored.

[0038] The actuator can comprise a rotating disc. This provides an efficient way of removing the receiving members and returning them to the container. Using a disc shaped actuator means that it is easy to provide a single path along which all receiving members are moved when rotation occurs. This is useful if a fixed detector is used to monitor the receiving members.

[0039] The receiving members can be arranged in one or more rows. The rows can extend substantially parallel to an outer edge of the actuator. The outer edge of the actuator can correspond to the circumference of a circle. This provides a single path along which all receiving members are moved when rotation occurs. This is useful if a fixed detector is used to monitor the receiving members.

[0040] The apparatus can be provided with a motor for moving, e.g. rotating, the actuator. The motor can be a variable speed motor. This allows the operator to adjust the speed of the motor to correspond to the speed at which eggs are laid in the container. The faster the eggs are laid, the higher the frequency at which the actuator will need to be moved, e.g. rotated, to remove the receiving members from the container.

[0041] The rotation of the actuator and the container relative to each other can be indexable. This is useful if the detector needs a specific amount of time to monitor a specific fixed receiving member. The actuator can be moved between index positions which correspond to the position of the receiving members relative to another part of the apparatus, e.g. the detector or an interrupt device (discussed below). This ensures rapid rotation whilst providing the necessary amount of stationary time in the correct position to perform an action on the receiving members.

[0042] The actuator can be adapted to remove more than one receiving member from the container at the same time. Batches of receiving members can be removed at a time to speed up the monitoring (or other) processes performed outside the container.

[0043] The device can further comprise an automated detector for detecting whether an egg has been laid on a given receiving member. The device can comprise more than one automated detector. One automated detector can be inside the container and another automated detector can be outside the container. One automated detector can be arranged to detect the presence of an egg. Another automated detector can be arranged to detect the presence of an insect during the process of laying an egg. The automated detector can be one or more cameras. The automated detector can be positioned such that it can monitor the receiving member inside or outside the container, or the receiving member inside and outside the container. The automated detector can be connected to a control unit. The control unit can communicate with another part of the device to send a signal to another part of the device based on the detection result, for example to a motor for moving an actuator, an intervention device or a removal device (discussed below). This enables other parts of the device to be actuated in response to a detection signal from the detector, for example the signal can correspond to the presence or absence of one or more eggs, or the rate at which eggs are being placed into the container. When the signal depends on the rate of placement in the container, the signal can be sent to a motor to adjust the speed of movement of the actuator accordingly. A high rate of egg laying requires faster removal of the receiving member / egg and corresponds to a faster speed of movement of the actuator, for example rotation.

[0044] The device can further comprise a device for adding water or food to the receiving member in response to a signal from the automated detector.

[0045] The device can further comprise an intervention device for preventing an insect from laying a second egg on a receiving member on which an egg has already been laid. The intervention device can be a blower or a device such as a lid. The intervention device can be an automated system with an actuator that places a lid on a receiving member once an egg has been detected on the receiving member. This prevents more eggs from being laid on the receiving member. This is useful because the egg separation problem is avoided. The blower can be directed at a specific receiving member, the detector detecting that an insect is about to lay an egg or is in the process of laying more than one egg. The blower can send a blast of air in the direction of the insect detected by the detector to interrupt the egg laying process of the insect. This is useful for insects that lay larger batches of eggs. For a single rearing process, a large batch of eggs is not desirable. Therefore, if the laying process can be interrupted when the insect has laid only one egg, or as close to one egg as possible, the efficiency of the collection process is improved.

[0046] The intervention device can be adapted to interrupt the egg laying process of an insect in response to a signal from the automated detector.

[0047] The container can be provided with a reclosable interface for introducing insects into the container. The interface can be provided with an insect-proof sleeve.

[0048] The container can be provided with a second reclosable opening. The second reclosable opening can be used to clean the interior of the container or to draw insects out of the container. The second reclosable opening can be formed as a hinged portion in the container wall. In some embodiments, the entire wall of the container can be openable to provide access to the interior of the container. The second reclosable opening can be a drain hole.

[0049] A portion of the wall of the container can be formed from a mesh. A portion of the inner surface of the container wall can be covered by the mesh. This is particularly useful for insects such as moths. The mesh prevents insects such as moths from laying their eggs on the mesh. Increasing the amount of mesh reduces the preferred egg laying location for the insects and increases the chance that they will lay their eggs on the receiving member. This increases the efficiency of the process.

[0050] Preferably, the mesh comprises wire of diameter 0.56mm woven into a square mesh of side length 1.56mm. This is particularly useful for adult codling moths (Cydia pomonella) as they cannot escape through these square holes and they do not tend to lay eggs on the wire. Preferably, the mesh holes have a side length of less than 2.5mm. Preferably, the diameter of the holes is as large as possible whilst still being small enough to prevent a given insect from escaping. Thus, the size of the mesh can be tailored to the size of the given insect.

[0051] A portion (or all) of the inner surface of the container wall can be textured. Likewise, a portion (or all) of the actuator can be textured. The receiving member is typically formed with a generally smooth exposed surface. The textured nature typically means that the textured surface is rougher than the surface of the receiving member. The textured surface can be provided with ribs or other features which prevent insects from laying eggs on the textured surface.

[0052] Preferably, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% or substantially all of the surface area of the surface of the interior of the container, including the wall and actuator portions (but not including the receiving member or members), can be covered with (or formed with) an insect egg laying deterrent feature such as a textured (e.g. roughened or featured) surface or a mesh as discussed herein.

[0053] The egg laying surface of the receiving member can be smoother than the textured inner surface of the container wall. This encourages the insects to prefer to lay eggs on the receiving member rather than on another inner surface of the container or actuator.

[0054] The receiving member can be provided with a recess for containing insect food. This is useful for insects such as flies which are lured to lay eggs on or in the food.

[0055] The receiving member can be provided with an insect attractant. Such an attractant can be a liquid which evaporates to spread in the air and attract insects. This increases the chance that the insects will lay eggs on the receiving member.

[0056] The device can further comprise a removal apparatus for removing the receiving member from the actuator and / or for removing the eggs from the receiving member. The device can comprise a removal apparatus for removing the receiving member together with the insect eggs from the engagement portion on the actuator, the receiving member being engaged with the engagement portion.

[0057] Preferably, the recess (engagement portion) in the actuator which houses the receiving member has a depth which allows the upper surface of the receiving member (when engaged with the recess) to be below the top surface of the actuator. This allows the eggs located on the receiving member to fall below the top surface of the actuator. This prevents the eggs from being scraped off the receiving member when the receiving member is passed under the wall of the defined aperture through which the receiving member is removed.

[0058] In a second aspect, the present application provides a method of collecting eggs, comprising;

[0059] providing a device as described herein,

[0060] introducing at least one female insect into the container,

[0061] detecting when the insect has laid eggs on the receiving member, and

[0062] actuating the actuator to remove the receiving member from the container.

[0063] In this application, when describing that eggs are laid "on" a receiving member, the wording is intended to include the case where the eggs can more accurately be described as being placed "in" the receiving member, for example when the receiving member is a jar or when the eggs are placed inside food.

[0064] Preferably, the step of introducing at least one female into the container comprises introducing at least 1-12000 insects, preferably 1000-12000 insects into the container.

[0065] The method can further comprise the step of removing the receiving member and eggs from the device and replacing it with a new receiving member. The actuator can introduce the new receiving member into the container.

[0066] The at least one female insect can be introduced into a container in a transport container, wherein the transport container is introduced into the container through a reclosable interface in the container, which is closed before the transport container is opened to release the insects therein. The transport container can serve as the inner container. Preferably, the transport container has a reclosable interface for allowing the insects within the transport container to access the receiving member. The transport container can additionally have any of the features described for the (primary) container, such as a textured wall or a mesh wall. This provides a convenient method of introducing live insects into a container, which is faster than a method in which the insects need to develop in the container of the device. The device described herein can be provided with a transport container as described above.

[0067] The at least one female insect can be a codling moth. In this case, the device can be according to any of claims 25-27, 29 or 30.

[0068] The at least one female insect can be a fruit fly. In this case, the device can be according to any of claims 28 or 20, and wherein the method further comprises the step of providing food for the fruit flies on the receiving member. The fruit flies can be Drosophila suzukii.

[0069] The method can further comprise the step of transferring the eggs from the receiving member to a hatching container.

[0070] In a third aspect, the present invention provides a pot for hatching insect eggs, the pot comprising;

[0071] a removable lid,

[0072] a body having a wall defining a volume for containing eggs of insects and food,

[0073] wherein the removable lid has the features of a receiving member as described herein, and

[0074] wherein the body is provided with a support for supporting the removable lid.

[0075] In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a pot for hatching insect eggs, the pot comprising;

[0076] a body having a wall defining a volume for containing eggs of insects and food of insects, and

[0077] a lid,

[0078] wherein the lid is provided with an aperture.

[0079] The aperture in the lid can be adapted to support a receiving member as described herein. For example, the aperture can be circular. It can have a flange as a seat for containing the member.

[0080] Preferably, the volume of the pot according to the present application is between 5 μΙ_ and 20 mL, preferably between 60 μΙ_ and 2 mL. The lower end of these ranges provides pots for containing a suitable amount of initial food for the insects to lay eggs in. A diet for the insects to further feed on can be provided throughout the life cycle of the insects. These volumes exclude the space in the lid and chimney (see below). A volume of 60 μΙ_ is particularly useful for Drosophila suzukii. A volume of 2 mL is particularly useful for Carpocapsa pomonella.

[0081] The pot can further comprise a chimney extending from the aperture in the lid. The chimney and lid can be formed in a one-piece arrangement. The chimney provides a volume for containing insect larvae separate from the part of the pot adapted to contain insect food. Preferably, the chimney forms a generally cylindrical volume. Preferably, the volume extends upwards above the lid of the pot. Preferably, the chimney is located in the centre of the lid. Preferably, the chimney has the profile of a test tube, having a generally cylindrical side and an open lower end.

[0082] Preferably, the lid of the pot is provided with an engagement structure for engaging the chimney. The chimney is preferably provided with an engagement structure for engaging with the engagement structure on the pot. The engagement structures on the pot and chimney can be a "rib and groove" or "groove and lug" arrangement, where the rib or groove snap fits with the groove or lug. Preferably, the chimney is removably engaged with the pot.

[0083] Preferably, a portion of the lid, chimney or body of the pot is transparent. This allows an operator or automated detector to visually monitor the development of the insects in the pot or chimney.

[0084] Preferably, the chimney has an elongate hollow body defining a volume of between 200 μΙ_ and 700 μΙ_.

[0085] In the apparatus according to the present application, the receiving member can be a pot as described herein.

[0086] In a fifth aspect, the present application provides a method of using a pot as described herein, the method comprising the steps of;

[0087] providing a receiving member as described herein having eggs of insects received thereon, and

[0088] engaging the receiving member with the support on the body or the aperture in the lid such that the eggs are positioned within the volume defined by the body.

[0089] Alternatively, the step of engaging the receiving member with the support on the body or the aperture in the lid is performed such that, once the receiving member is engaged, the eggs are positioned such that larvae are able to hatch from the eggs and move into the volume defined by the body.

[0090] The method can further comprise the step of adding a chimney to the pot prior to pupation of the insects.

[0091] In the method according to the application, the lid of the pot described herein can be interchanged with each other depending on the developmental stage of the insects. For example, after the eggs have hatched, the receiving member and the eggs can be removed from the pot and replaced with a solid lid (i.e. a lid without holes). This prevents the larvae from escaping from the pot when they become more mobile. This also delays the timing of adding a chimney to the pot, which requires more volumetric storage space. Subsequently, prior to pupation of the insects, the solid lid can be replaced with a lid provided with a chimney (as described herein). The holes can be designed to receive more than one; chimney, plug and receiving member. For example, the holes of the lid can be provided with Figure 8 the recess arrangement for accommodating a chimney in Figure 7 and Figure 8 the shelf arrangement for accommodating a receiving member or plug in 10 In this case, when the plug is installed, the receiving member of the lid (by falling in the hole) as shown in Figure 7 can remain in situ in the hole of the lid.

[0092] Non-limiting embodiments of the application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

[0093] Figure 1 A perspective view of an apparatus according to the application is shown.

[0094] Figure 2 A plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is shown.

[0095] Figure 3 A side view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is shown.

[0096] Figure 4 A receiving member for the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is shown.

[0097] Figure 5 A side sectional view of a pot according to the application is shown.

[0098] Figure 6 A side view of a body of a pot according to the application is shown.

[0099] Figure 7 A side sectional view of a lid of a pot according to the application is shown.

[0100] Figure 8 A side sectional view of a lid of a pot according to the application is shown.

[0101] Figure 9 A side view of the cap is shown. Figure 7 and 8 A bottom view of the cap is shown.

[0102] Figure 10 A side cross-sectional view of a chimney for use in cooperation with a can according to the present application is shown.

[0103] Figure 11 A can according to the present application is shown with a chimney in place.

[0104] Figures 1-3 A device 1 for collecting insect eggs is shown. The device comprises a container 2 for housing a plurality of insects. The container is a cuboid and has a generally planar transparent wall. The wall 4 has a circular aperture 5. The aperture is centrally located in the wall forming the top surface of the container. The device is provided with a removable cap 6 which can be removed and sealingly engaged with the aperture 5. When the cap 6 is engaged with the aperture 5, a tab 7 holds the cap 6 in place. In use, a user can remove the cap 6 from the aperture, introduce insects into the container and then replace the cap. The insects can be introduced into a separate transport container which is only opened when the cap 6 is sealingly engaged with the aperture 5. The insects introduced into the container must include female insects. If the females are not pregnant, the container must additionally house a suitable male.

[0105] A mesh panel 8 is attached to the inner surface of both side walls. The mesh panel is generally square and covers a substantial surface area of both opposing side walls 4 of the container. The mesh is a wire mesh having a 1.56mm aperture. The wire forming the mesh has a diameter of 0.56mm.

[0106] The container is provided with a flat rectangular base 9. A disc-shaped actuator 10 is rotatably mounted on the base. The actuator is adapted to rotate about a central axis defined by the central attachment point 11 of the actuator to the base.

[0107] The actuator is provided with a plurality of engagement portions 12 which are positioned in series at intervals around the circumference of the actuator. The gap between the engagement portions 12 is constant for any two adjacent engagement portions. In use, a receiving member 200 (see Figure 4 ) is removably housed in each engagement portion. Figure 4 A receiving member 200 (which will be described in more detail below) is shown. The receiving member 200 is generally disc-shaped and has a generally planar top surface. The top surface of each receiving member 200 is smooth. Each disc is housed in its own engagement portion 12 which is provided in the upper surface of the actuator. Figure 4A more detailed view of the receiving members is shown, which can be individually removed and replaced from the actuator. The bottom of the engagement portion 12 is formed as a generally cylindrical recess, which is provided with a ledge on which the receiving member 200 can rest. The ledge is essentially annular and has a flat upper surface for the receiving member to rest on. The ledge is formed at about half the height of the generally cylindrical recess that defines the engagement portion 12.

[0108] Two portions of the actuator surface have a textured surface 13 that is rougher than the upper surface of the receiving member 200.

[0109] A portion of the actuator passes through a hole 14 in the container side wall, protruding from the inside of the container to the outside. The hole is generally rectangular and has a rigid edge. The portion of the actuator that protrudes from the container comprises a section of the actuator. The protruding section has a plurality of engagement portions 12 (which in use will each have a receiving member 200).

[0110] The hole 14 and the actuator 10 cooperate so that when the actuator is rotated, insects cannot escape from the container. The cooperation is achieved by the width of the gap between the actuator and the edge of the hole 14 formed in the container wall. The width of the gap is chosen to be small enough so that insects cannot pass through the gap. In this embodiment, the width of the gap is 1 mm.

[0111] In other embodiments, the hole 14 is provided with a sealing member, preferably which is flexible and cooperates with the actuator to reduce or substantially eliminate the gap between the wall and the actuator.

[0112] The recesses in the actuator (engagement portions 12) of the receiving member 200 have a depth that allows the upper surface of the receiving member 200 to be below the top surface of the actuator. This allows eggs located on the receiving member to fall below the top surface of the actuator. This prevents the eggs from being scraped off the receiving member as it passes under the wall that defines the hole 14.

[0113] In use, once 1-12000 insects are introduced into the container 2, the female insects will eventually lay eggs within the container. The receiving member is adapted to become a place to which the female insects are attracted to lay their eggs. This is achieved by the flat and / or smooth surface of the disc. The mesh panel 8 is adapted to deter certain insects, such as moths, from landing on the container wall and laying their eggs there. The textured (in this embodiment rough) surface portion 13 of the actuator functions much the same as the mesh. Some insects prefer to lay their eggs on smooth surfaces. Thus, they will preferentially lay their eggs on the smooth and / or flat upper surface of the receiving member 200, rather than on the textured surface portion of the actuator or on the mesh in the container.

[0114] The greater the inner surface of the container and the surface of the actuator are covered by a textured (e.g. roughened) surface or by a deterrent such as a mesh (or a combination thereof), the greater the chances that an insect will lay eggs on the receiving member 200. The increased chances of an insect laying eggs on the receiving member increase the efficiency and speed of the process.

[0115] In other embodiments, some or all of the walls of the container are formed from a mesh or have a textured surface forming the inner surface of the container.

[0116] In some embodiments, substantially all of the inner surface of the container and the surface of the actuator are covered by a deterrent such as a mesh or are textured.

[0117] The receiving member 200 is provided with a dose of insect attractant 15 which can be airborne and increases the likelihood of an insect laying eggs on the receiving member.

[0118] The device is provided with a motor 16 for driving rotation of the actuator 10. The motor is a variable speed motor. This allows the speed of rotation of the actuator to be adjusted according to the frequency of egg laying by the insects within the container. The motor is also indexable. That is, the motor can be moved precisely between successive index positions which correspond to the position of the receiving member 200 on the actuator 10.

[0119] The device is provided with a camera 17 for detecting whether an egg has been laid on the receiving member as it exits the container with rotation of the actuator. If the camera detects an egg on the receiving member, a signal is sent to a control unit housed within the box 18 which sends a signal to a removal apparatus 19. The removal apparatus 19 is provided with an actuator 20 which is actuated upon receipt of the signal from the control unit. The actuator 20 extends through an aperture in the bottom of the slot 12 in the actuator 10 which houses the receiving member. The actuator 20 pushes the receiving member upwards and out of the slot 12, thereby detaching it from the actuator 10. The receiving member and the egg it carries can then be removed by a user or robot for further processing.

[0120] The device is provided with a blower 21. The blower is connected to the control unit 18 and the camera 17. The camera is adapted to detect when an insect is in the process of laying an egg. The camera then sends a signal to the blower via the control unit. The signal activates the blower which directs a blast of air at the insect which is laying an egg within the container. The blast of air interrupts the egg laying process of the insect and reduces the number of eggs laid on any particular receiving member, preferably, to a single egg on a receiving member if possible.

[0121] In use, insects are introduced into container 2. The insects inside container 2 lay eggs, preferably on the receiving components. Actuator 10 rotates, causing some of the receiving components located inside container 2 to be removed from the container. Camera 17 then analyzes each receiving component to detect whether insect eggs have been laid on it. If one or more eggs are detected, the receiving component and eggs are removed using removal device 19 and the process described above. If a receiving component with eggs is removed, it can be replaced with a new receiving component. If no eggs are found on a receiving component when analyzed by the camera, the eggs return to container 2 as actuator 10 continues to rotate.

[0122] During this process, food, water, waste, or attractant can be added to or removed from each receiving component while each receiving component is outside container 2. This can be achieved manually or by an additional automatic actuator that responds to a signal generated by a camera and transmitted through a control unit (the signal indicating the need to add or remove one or more of food, water, waste, or attractant).

[0123] Device 1 is mounted on a frame with wheels 22. The container is provided with a door connected to the rest of the container via a hinge 23. This door allows the entire wall of the container to be opened for easy access to the interior of container 2 for cleaning. The hinged wall is provided with a handle 24.

[0124] Figure 4 Demonstrated for use with Figures 1-3 The enlarged view shows the receiving member 200 engaged with the connecting portion 12. The receiving member 200 is a transparent disc made of acrylic. The receiving member has a depth of 1 mm and a diameter of 10 mm. The top surface of the receiving member is flat and smooth. The top surface is the same as the bottom surface. This means that when the receiving member is placed into a recess 12 in the actuator 10, the user does not need to identify the "correct upward path".

[0125] A certain dose of attractant liquid 15 is displayed in the middle of the upper surface of the disk.

[0126] In other embodiments, the upper and / or lower surfaces of the receiving member have grooves or are concave. This provides a location for food for insects to be contained or for any other attractant to be contained, such as an airborne liquid, to attract insects to lay eggs on the receiving member. In some embodiments, the receiving member is formed as a can, which may be a can as described herein.

[0127] Figure 5A cross-sectional view of a can according to the present invention is shown. The can comprises a body and a receiving member 200 adapted to form a lid of the can. The can is generally cylindrical. The receiving member 200 shown in the figure accommodates an egg 52. The can contains food 53. In use, once the receiving member 200 and the egg 52 are removed from the device 1, the receiving member is held above the can as shown. The receiving member is then inverted so that the egg falls into the food 53 or remains adhered to the underside of the receiving member. The receiving member is then lowered onto an annular rib 54 which acts as a seat for the receiving member and prevents the receiving member from falling into the food. In this position, the receiving member acts as a lid for the can and the can can be transported for further processing.

[0128] The receiving member is transparent. This allows a user or an automated detection system to see inside the can during further processing to check if the egg has hatched. If the egg has not hatched after a certain time, the can and its contents can be discarded. This provides an efficient method as unhatched eggs can be processed earlier without wasting further space, time and resources in processing them.

[0129] Figure 6 A side view of a body 60 of a can according to the present invention is shown. The can body is generally squashed cylindrical. The can has an upright side wall 61 and a flat bottom 62. The upper part of the can body is provided with an annular rib 63. The diameter of the annular rib has a straight taper 65 from its outer diameter to the side wall 63. This is useful for placing the can in the recess 12 if the can is to be used as a receiving member of a device according to the present invention. The annular rib has a flat top 64 below the level of the top of the side wall which acts as a seat for the lid. The can has an opening 66. Cut into the side wall 61 near the upper end of the can body 60 are engagement structures 67. These engage with engagement structures on the lid. In Figure 7 and 8 Two options for a lid for a can are shown in

[0130] The engagement structures include bevels and lugs 68 with which corresponding features on the lid can engage. The engagement is secure and sufficient to control or influence the rate of evaporation from within the can and reduce exposure of the contents of the can to pathogens in the surrounding environment. In some embodiments, the engagement forms a water and air tight engagement.

[0131] Figure 7 A side cross-sectional view of a lid 71 of a can according to the present invention is shown. The lid is adapted to fit over Figure 6 the can body shown. The lid is provided with a protrusion 72 on its inner circumference which is adapted to engage with Figure 6The engagement formations 67 and 68 on the can body shown are engaged. The lid 71 is provided with a central hole 73. When viewed from above, the hole is circular. The sides of the hole are shaped so that the upper part of the hole has a greater diameter than the lower part of the hole. At the uppermost part of the hole, the sides of the hole have a straight taper 74 that tapers inwardly. At the inner end of the straight taper, the side wall 75 of the hole is straight and oriented so that the diameter of the hole does not change. The straight taper 74 and the side wall 75 allow a user to place a disc-shaped receiving member 200 (as described herein) into the straight taper 74. This process is described in conjunction with Figure 5 The disc will be stable under the force of gravity until it comes to rest in the straight part of the hole 75, completing the lid of the can. When the receiving member is transparent, this allows a user to see into the can to check whether the eggs inside the can have hatched.

[0132] Figure 8 A side cross-sectional view of a lid 81 of a can according to the invention is shown. The lid is the same as the lid shown in Figure 7 except that the shape of the hole 82 is different from the shape of the hole 73. The hole has a wall that defines an inner part 83 and an outer part 84 that defines the upper and lower sides of the inner part 83. At the inner part 83, the hole has a slightly greater diameter than at the outer part 84. The side wall of the increased diameter forms an annular groove for engaging the chimney. Figure 10 Such a chimney 101 is shown in

[0133] Figure 9 A side cross-sectional view of a lid 81 of a can according to the invention is shown. The lid is the same as the lid shown in Figure 7 and 8 A bottom view of the lid is shown. When viewed from this perspective, Figure 7 and 8 The lid shown looks the same as the lid shown in

[0134] The parts of the can, such as the lid and the body, are 3D printed and formed from a polymer.

[0135] Figure 10 A side cross-sectional view of a chimney for use with a can having a lid as shown in Figure 8 is shown. The chimney 101 is transparent. Preferably, it is made from a transparent polymer. It has a generally test-tube shape. It has a generally cylindrical body 102. At one end of the body, the side walls merge to form a rounded end 103. At the other end of the body, the chimney has an open circular mouth 104. The chimney is provided with an annular rib 105 near its open end. This extends around the outside of the body 102. The rib can be formed from a deformable material.

[0136] In use, the mouth 104 of the chimney is engaged by Figure 8The hole 82 in the lid shown descends. When the rib 105 reaches the upper portion of the hole 84, the user can push down on the chimney so that the rib 105 is pushed further into the hole 82 until it snaps into the groove formed by the larger diameter portion 83 of the hole. This snap fit between the rib 105 and the groove 83 holds the chimney in the can so that the body 102 and the end 103 of the chimney protrude above the upper surface of the lid 81.

[0137] Figure 11 A can 110 according to the present application is shown with a chimney 111 located in a hole 112 of the lid 113 of the can. The can is stocked with food for insect eggs. In the chimney is a larva 114 which is visible through the transparent wall of the chimney. After the insect eggs hatch and consume the food contained within the can, the fully grown larva will typically automatically leave the wet food within the can to seek a drier location. The chimney provides this location. The larva once in the chimney can transform into a pupa. The transparent nature of the chimney can show at a glance to an operator or to an automated detector that the larva has left the diet and will soon pupate. Thus, the progress of the rearing can be easily monitored. Once the larva is within the can, the chimney can be removed from the can and its open end sealed to prevent the larva from returning to the can and to minimize space requirements and facilitate disposal. The fully developed insects can be removed from the array without delay. This provides a more space saving and faster process.

Claims

1. A device for collecting insect eggs, comprising; a container for housing insects, a plurality of receiving members: removable from the remainder of the device, for receiving eggs laid by insects, and each independently removable from the container, and an actuator for independently removing each of the receiving members from the container, wherein in use, when the receiving members are removed from the container, the insects within the container are unable to escape the container.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a removal apparatus for removing the receiving members from the actuator or for removing eggs from the receiving members.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the actuator is adapted to introduce the receiving members into the container.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the container is provided with an interface, wherein the actuator is adapted to remove the receiving members from the container through the interface, and wherein the interface cooperates with the receiving members to render the insects within the container unable to escape the container.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the container is provided with an interface, wherein the actuator is adapted to remove the receiving members from the container through the interface, and wherein the interface cooperates with the actuator to render the insects within the container unable to escape the container.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 or 5, wherein, the interface is formed as a rigid aperture.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 or 5, wherein, the interface is formed as a slit, wherein at least one wall of the slit is flexible.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the receiving members comprise a pot, a generally flat disc or have a square, rectangular, oval or cruciform shape.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the receiving members are removably engageable with an engagement portion of the actuator.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the receiving members comprise a transparent portion.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the actuator and the container are adapted to rotate relative to each other, and wherein a plurality of receiving members are located on the actuator, when the actuator is rotated relative to the container, the receiving members move from inside the container to outside the container, and, when the actuator is further rotated relative to the container, the receiving members move from outside the container back to inside the container.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, the actuator comprises a rotating disc.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 or 12, wherein, the receiving members are arranged in one or more rows extending generally parallel to an outer edge of the actuator.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, the rotation of the actuator and the container relative to each other is indexable.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the actuator is adapted to remove more than one receiving member from the container at the same time.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising an automated detector for detecting whether eggs have been laid on a receiving member.

17. The device of claim 16, further comprising an apparatus for adding water or food to the receiving member in response to a signal from the automated detector.

18. The device of claim 1, further comprising an intervention apparatus for preventing an insect from laying a second or more eggs on the receiving member on which eggs have already been laid.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein, the intervention apparatus is adapted to interrupt the egg-laying process of an insect in response to a signal from the automated detector of claim 16.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the container is provided with a reclosable interface for introducing insects into the container.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein, the container is provided with a second reclosable port.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, A portion of the wall of the container or a portion of the inner surface of the wall of the container is formed by, covered by or textured with a mesh.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The receiving member is provided with a recess for accommodating food for the insects.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The receiving member is provided with an insect attractant.

25. A method of collecting eggs comprising; providing a device according to any one of claims 1-24, introducing at least one female insect into the container, detecting when an insect has laid an egg on the receiving member, and actuating the actuator to remove the receiving member from the container.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein, The at least one female insect is introduced into the container in a transport container, wherein the transport container is introduced into the container through a reclosable interface in the container, which is closed before the transport container is opened.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein, The at least one female insect is a codling moth.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein, The device is a device according to any one of claims 22-24.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the at least one female insect is a fruit fly and the device is a device according to any one of claims 23 or 17, and wherein the method further comprises the step of providing food for the fruit fly on the receiving member.

30. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of transferring the eggs from the receiving member to a hatching container.

31. The method according to claim 25, wherein the at least one female insect is introduced into the container in a transport container, wherein the transport container is introduced into the container through a reclosable interface in the container, which is closed before the transport container is opened to release the at least one female insect therein.

32. A jar for hatching insect eggs comprising; a removable lid, a body having a wall defining a volume for accommodating eggs of insects and food, wherein, the removable lid having the features of the receiving member of any one of claims 1-24, and wherein the body is provided with a support for supporting the removable lid.

33. A jar for hatching insect eggs comprising; a body having a wall for defining a volume for accommodating insect eggs and insect food, and a lid, wherein the lid is provided with an aperture; and wherein, the aperture in the lid is adapted to support a receiving member having the features of any one of claims 1-24.

34. The can according to claim 33, wherein, The jar further comprises a chimney extending from the aperture in the lid.

35. The can of claim 32, wherein, A portion of the lid or the body of the jar is transparent.

36. The can of claim 33, wherein, A portion of the lid or the body of the jar is transparent.

37. The can of claim 34, wherein, A portion of the chimney is transparent.

38. The device of claim 1, wherein, The receiving member is a jar according to any one of claims 33-35.

39. A method of using a jar according to any one of claims 32-38, comprising the steps of; providing a receiving member having the features defined in claim 1, receiving insect eggs on the receiving member, and engaging the receiving member with the support on the body or the aperture in the lid, such that the eggs are placed within the volume defined by the body.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of adding a chimney to the tank prior to pupation of the insects.

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