An efficient alfalfa strain grass borer larvae collection device and use method

Abstract

The present invention provides an efficient device for collecting larvae of alfalfa strains of grass borer and a method for using the device, which belongs to the field of agricultural entomology and biological control technology. The system consists of five functional modules: an anti-escape intelligent closed unit, a nutrient supply module, an egg collection unit, a larvae hatching collection module, and a suspension system. The system has a simple design and is easy to operate. It can realize the large-scale, efficient and convenient collection of grass borer eggs and newly hatched larvae in an indoor environment, solving two major problems existing in the prior art: one is the difficulty in collecting eggs, and the other is the problem of inconsistent larval feeding ages. The system provides reliable technical support for indoor research on grass borers, and is particularly suitable for efficient collection and research of grass borer eggs and larvae in agricultural research institutions and laboratories. By significantly improving the collection efficiency and consistency, it provides an important stable and consistent insect source guarantee for related ecological research and pest control.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of agricultural technology, in particular to technologies related to pest control and population management. Specifically, the present invention provides a device for efficiently collecting larvae of grass moth and a method for using the device. The device improves the collection efficiency of grass moth larvae by optimizing the egg collection method and operation process, and is suitable for the establishment of a large-scale indoor alfalfa strain grass moth population. Background Art

[0002] meadow borer ( Loxostege sticticalis ) is an omnivorous pest distributed in the northern temperate zone. It seriously harms important crops such as soybeans, corn and wheat. It is also one of the main threats to alfalfa, the "king of forage grass". The larvae of the grass borer particularly prefer to feed on the leaves of legumes, especially when the third-instar larvae enter the gluttonous period, and their feeding amount accounts for 60%-70% of the entire larval period. The gluttonous behavior at this stage not only leads to a significant decrease in alfalfa yield, but also brings huge economic losses to agriculture and forage production. The wide distribution and huge destructive power of the grass borer made it listed in the list of the top ten pests for agricultural pest control in my country in 2010.

[0003] Despite the serious damage caused by the grass moth, existing prevention and control measures and research methods still have many shortcomings. In the process of raising grass moths indoors, female insects have no specific selectivity for egg-laying sites, resulting in a strong random distribution of egg masses and egg particles. This random egg-laying makes the egg collection process cumbersome and inefficient, increasing time costs and labor intensity. In addition, the collected eggs are unevenly distributed in time and space, resulting in inconsistent larval hatching times, which in turn affects the concentrated eclosion time of adults, seriously restricting the rapid expansion of the grass moth population. The inconsistency of larval hatching makes it difficult for researchers to synchronously manage the growth stages of the larvae, affecting the continuity of the experiment and the reliability of the data.

[0004] Although previous studies have explored in depth the effects of temperature, humidity, and light conditions on the rearing of grass borers, existing rearing equipment is still unable to effectively collect eggs and hatch larvae in a centralized manner. In recent years, researchers have tried to improve the rapid propagation of grass borers by replacing host plants, developing or optimizing artificial feeds, and improving rearing equipment, but these methods still have problems such as low egg collection efficiency or unconcentrated larval hatching. No efficient larval collection device and rearing technology have yet to be proposed, and it is impossible to effectively expand the grass borer population while reducing time and labor costs. In addition, research on specialized collection devices for grass borer eggs and larvae is still blank.

[0005] Existing techniques for collecting larvae of grass moth have problems such as low efficiency and inconsistent hatching. Traditional insect rearing devices and methods cannot effectively collect grass moth eggs in a centralized manner, resulting in random egg distribution, large hatching rate fluctuations, and time-consuming and labor-intensive collection and hatching management processes. These shortcomings have greatly limited the large-scale breeding of grass moths and the development of related research.

[0006] The current efficiency of collecting grass moth eggs is generally only about 50%, and the hatching rate fluctuates between 40% and 60%. This low efficiency and high volatility not only increase the difficulty of research and production, but also increase time and labor costs, restricting the breeding efficiency and research level of grass moths.

[0007] The traditional egg collection system lacks effective design and cannot centrally manage and incubate the collected eggs. This leads to greater uncertainty and inconsistency in the egg collection and incubation process, affecting the reliability of experimental results and the breeding efficiency of meadow moth.

[0008] Existing hatching management methods make it difficult to ensure that all eggs hatch in the same period of time, resulting in inconsistency and asynchrony in larval hatching. This not only increases the complexity of experiments and the management of grassland borer populations, but also affects the reliability of experimental results and the breeding efficiency of grassland borers.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need for an efficient alfalfa strain grass borer larvae collection device and a method of use, which can significantly improve the centralized collection efficiency of eggs, ensure the consistency and synchronization of hatching, and solve the deficiencies in the prior art. This device will greatly improve the efficiency of grass borer breeding, simplify the grass borer breeding process, reduce time and labor costs, and meet the needs of laboratory research and agricultural production. Summary of the invention

[0010] The present invention aims to provide an efficient alfalfa strain grass borer larvae collection device and use method, so as to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, significantly improve the centralized collection efficiency of eggs and the consistency of larval hatching, thereby improving the efficiency of grass borer propagation, and providing a reliable source of test insects for related research on this strain of grass borer. In order to achieve the above purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0011] An efficient alfalfa line grass borer larvae collection system comprises the following five functional modules: an anti-escape intelligent enclosed unit 10, a nutrient supply module 20, an egg collection unit 30, a larvae hatching and collecting module 40 and a suspension system 50.

[0012] Furthermore, the anti-escape intelligent closure unit 10 is one of the core components of the system, located on the far left of the device, and is used to prevent the escape of adults and newly hatched larvae of the grass moth. The unit includes a closing cover 11, a reduced diameter 12, an adult delivery port 13, and an adult anti-escape port 14. Its design principle is based on an in-depth study of the crawling habits of adults of the grass moth, and combines the needs of anti-escape and ventilation.

[0013] Preferably, the closing cover 11 is covered with fine ventilation holes, which has air permeability and anti-escape functions, ensuring that the larvae of the grass moth can move in the larvae hatching and collecting module.

[0014] The one-way design of the reduced diameter 12, the adult delivery port 13 and the adult escape prevention port 14 further enhances the airtightness of the system, ensuring that the adults cannot escape through the adult delivery port 13. This structural feature enables the system to stably and efficiently collect the adults of the grass moth and keep them in the system without affecting their survival.

[0015] Furthermore, the reduced diameter 12 is connected to the closed cover 11 by a hinge, the adult release port 13 has a diameter of 5 cm, and a strong magnet is used on the edge to ensure the sealing of the closed cover; the adult anti-escape port 14 has a diameter of 1.5 cm and is designed as an "in-only, no-out" structure to prevent the adult from escaping.

[0016] Preferably, the nutrition supply module 20 is located at the top of the device and uses a cotton ball block containing 20% ​​honey water to meet the nutrition and water needs of the adult grass moth and extend its life span.

[0017] Furthermore, the intelligent egg collection unit 30 is located between the nutrition supply module and the larvae hatching and collection module. It uses a smooth inner wall structure and is equipped with a replaceable flat-laying collection medium to efficiently monitor the egg-laying amount of the grass borer and predict its peak egg-laying period. Through optimized design, the eggs are efficiently collected in the system, ensuring the reliability and consistency of subsequent hatching.

[0018] Furthermore, the larvae hatching and collecting module 40 is located at the bottom of the device, and includes a V-shaped newly hatched larvae collecting device, two collecting plates 41 with an angle of 90 degrees, and the angle between the collecting plates and the horizontal plane is 45 degrees. The collecting plates are punched with hatching holes 42, and the intersection is elliptical to form an elliptical edge 43, all in order to maximize the efficiency of larvae hatching and the consistency of collection. These structural features enable the system to quickly and accurately collect larvae of meadow moths, and provide a reliable sample source for subsequent research.

[0019] Preferably, the hatching holes 42 on the collecting plate are in the shape of regular hexagons, which can be arranged more closely and make the most of the space. In addition, the hexagonal holes have a larger area, providing more contact surfaces, which helps to increase the contact between the larvae and the environment, thereby improving the hatching efficiency. The straight edges of the hexagonal holes make the layout simpler, and more hatching holes can be accommodated in a limited space, thereby improving the utilization rate of the equipment. Since the hexagonal shape is easier to accurately process and manufacture, the size and shape of the holes can be accurately controlled, ensuring the stability and consistency of the hatching process.

[0020] Furthermore, the suspension system 50 is connected to the egg collecting unit 30 via a spiral structure, which facilitates the suspension and fixation of the system in the laboratory nylon mesh cage, thereby ensuring the stability and reliability of the system.

[0021] The method for using the above-mentioned alfalfa strain grass borer larvae collection system is carried out according to the following steps, including:

[0022] (1) Assembling and releasing adults: Install the anti-escape intelligent enclosure unit, nutrition supply module, egg collection unit, larvae hatching collection module and suspension system in sequence, ensuring the correct installation position and connection method of each component. Release newly emerged adults of the grass moth through the adult release port, with a male-female ratio of 1:2, and provide 20% honey water as a nutritional supplement;

[0023] (2) Initial egg laying and egg card preparation: After 7 days, the female insects begin to lay eggs. The collection medium is replaced every day, and the replaced medium is cut into egg cards, which are sealed in plastic bags for storage and used to detect the peak egg laying period.

[0024] (3) Treatment during the peak egg-laying period: On the 10th day, the female insects enter the peak egg-laying period. At this time, stop placing the collection medium and allow them to lay eggs freely. Three days later, place a pot of alfalfa seedlings with a height of 15 cm directly below the hatching hole;

[0025] (4) Replacement of alfalfa seedlings and feeding of larvae in batches: Replace alfalfa seedlings every day, and use the replaced alfalfa seedlings to feed grass borer larvae in batches. Observe the survival of the adults and replenish the adults in time.

[0026] The larvae collecting device and the use method of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0027] (1) Improving the efficiency of centralized egg collection: In existing studies, the efficiency of collecting eggs of meadow moth is only about 50%. The present invention improves the structure of the breeding vessel, induces adults to lay eggs in a specific area, reduces the randomness of egg distribution, and increases the egg collection efficiency to more than 85%, significantly reducing time and labor costs, and improving research and production efficiency.

[0028] (2) Improve hatching consistency: In existing studies, the hatching rate of grass moth eggs is 40%-60%. The consistent hatching management system designed by the present invention ensures that all eggs hatch in the same time period, and the hatching rate is stabilized at more than 90%, thereby improving the consistency and synchronization of larval hatching.

[0029] (3) Improved propagation technology for grass moth: Greatly reduced the frequency and difficulty of human intervention, simplified the propagation process for grass moth, and thus improved the convenience and efficiency of the overall breeding technology.

[0030] In summary, the larvae collection device and the method of use of the present invention can not only improve the centralized collection and hatching efficiency of eggs, but also synchronously manage the growth stages of larvae, ensuring the continuity of the experiment and the reliability of the data. This will have an important impact on the biological research and prevention and control strategy formulation of the meadow moth, and at the same time provide reliable technical support for agricultural production, with broad application prospects and significant economic benefits. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 A longitudinal section view of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the insect escape prevention self-closing device of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the effect of the present invention.

[0036] 10-anti-escape intelligent closed unit, 20-nutrition supply module, 30-egg collection unit, 40-larvae hatching and collection module, 50-suspension system, 11-closing cover, 12-reduced diameter, 13-adult delivery port, 14-adult anti-escape port, 41-collection plate, 42-hatching hole, 43-elliptical edge. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The following is a detailed and comprehensive description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. It should be clear that the described embodiments only represent a part of the present invention, not all embodiments. A person skilled in the art can obtain all other embodiments from the present invention without creative work, and these embodiments are all included in the protection scope of the present invention. The application of the efficient collection device for grass moth larvae is carried out according to the following steps:

[0038] (1) Assemble the device: Install the anti-escape intelligent closed unit, the nutrient supply module, the insect egg intelligent collection unit, the larvae hatching collection module and the suspension support system in sequence according to the system structure diagram, and ensure the correct installation position and connection method of each component. Open the closing cover 11 of the anti-escape intelligent closed unit and attach the collection medium to the inner wall. Release 10 newly emerged adult grass moths through the adult release port 13, with a male-female ratio of 1:2. In the nutrient supply module 20, place a cotton ball containing 20% ​​honey water to provide nutrition for the adults;

[0039] (2) Egg collection: On the 7th day after the release of adults, females begin to lay eggs. Replace the collection medium every day and cut the replaced medium into egg cards to prevent eggs from being missed or mixed in. When making egg cards, make sure to cut the collection medium into the appropriate size and pay attention to the card logo for subsequent operation and identification. Place the egg card in a sealed plastic bag for detection of the peak egg-laying period;

[0040] (3) Treatment during the peak egg-laying period: When the 10th day arrives, the female insects will enter the peak egg-laying period. At this stage, the collection medium should be stopped to allow the female insects to lay eggs freely. Within 3 days after stopping the collection medium, the situation in the system needs to be closely observed to ensure that the egg-laying process of the female insects proceeds normally. At the same time, on the 3rd day after the 10th day, a pot of alfalfa seedlings with a height of 15 cm is placed directly under each hatching hole to provide the larvae with a suitable hatching and growth environment. When placing alfalfa seedlings, be sure to ensure that the height and position of the alfalfa seedlings are consistent with the corresponding relationship of the hatching holes, so that the larvae can smoothly climb onto the alfalfa seedlings to feed;

[0041] (4) Larval rearing: When replacing alfalfa seedlings every day, the replaced alfalfa seedlings and attached larvae of the grass moth should be placed in a separate rearing box. When replacing alfalfa seedlings, be sure to completely remove the original alfalfa seedlings and attached larvae of the grass moth to avoid mixing larvae from different batches. Rear the grass moth larvae on these alfalfa seedlings in batches and closely observe their growth. At the same time, regularly observe the survival of the adults and add new adults in time when necessary to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the test data.

Claims

1. A method for using an efficient alfalfa strain grass borer larvae collection device, characterized in that: The device includes the following five functional modules: an anti-escape intelligent closed unit, a nutrition supply module, an egg collection unit, a larvae hatching and collecting module, and a suspension system; wherein the anti-escape intelligent closed unit includes: a closed cover, a reduced diameter, an adult delivery port, and an adult anti-escape port to effectively prevent the escape of adults; the closed cover is covered with fine ventilation holes to ensure ventilation and prevent the larvae from escaping through the ventilation holes; the reduced diameter is connected to the closed cover by a hinge, the adult delivery port has a diameter of 4-6 cm, and a strong magnet is used on the edge to ensure the sealing of the closed cover; the adult anti-escape port has a diameter of 1-2 cm, and is designed as an "in-only, not out" structure to prevent the escape of adults in the system; the unit is located on the far left of the device and is connected to the suspension system to prevent the escape of adults and newly hatched larvae of the meadow moth; the nutrition supply module is located at the top of the device The device is provided with a nutrition supply system, which directly supplies 20% honey water to extend the life of adults; the egg collection unit is located between the nutrition supply module and the larvae hatching and collecting module, and includes a flat collection medium for monitoring adult egg laying and predicting the peak egg laying period; the larvae hatching and collecting module is located at the bottom of the device, directly connected to the egg collection unit, and has a V-shaped newly hatched larvae collection device, the two collection plates have an angle of 90 degrees, and an angle of 45 degrees with the horizontal plane, and the intersection is processed into an elliptical edge, so as to achieve physical and non-destructive separation of adults and larvae and optimize the larvae collection effect; finally, the larvae hatching and collecting module is connected to the suspension system so that the entire device can be suspended above the alfalfa seedlings, so as to facilitate the natural downward transfer of the larvae to the alfalfa seedlings, optimize the egg-laying environment of the adults, and reduce human intervention; the method for using the device includes the following steps: (1) Assembling and releasing adults: installing the anti-escape intelligent enclosure unit, the nutrition supply module, the intelligent egg collection unit, the larvae hatching collection module and the suspension system in sequence, ensuring the correct installation position and connection method of each component; releasing newly emerged adults of the grass moth through the adult release port, with a male-female ratio of 1:2, and providing 20% ​​honey water as a nutritional supplement; (2) Initial egg laying and egg card preparation: After 7 days, the female insects began to lay eggs. The collection medium was replaced every day, and the replaced medium was cut into egg cards, which were sealed in plastic bags for storage and used to detect the peak egg laying period; (3) Treatment during the peak egg-laying period: On the 10th day, the female insects entered the peak egg-laying period. At this time, the collection medium was stopped and the insects were allowed to lay eggs freely. Three days later, a pot of alfalfa seedlings with a height of 15 cm was placed directly below the hatching hole. (4) Replacement of alfalfa seedlings and feeding of larvae in batches: Replace alfalfa seedlings every day and feed the larvae of the grass moth in batches with the replaced alfalfa seedlings. Observe the survival of the adults and replenish the adults in time.

2. The method for using the highly efficient alfalfa lineage moth larvae collecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The nutrition supply module comprises an absorbent cotton block which is soaked in 20% honey water to provide nutrition and water to the adults of the grass moth and prolong their lifespan.

3. The method for using the efficient alfalfa strain meadow borer larvae collecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The insect egg collection unit comprises a smooth inner wall and is equipped with a replaceable flat-laying collection medium, and is used for efficiently monitoring the egg-laying amount of the grass borer and predicting its egg-laying peak period.

4. The method for using the efficient alfalfa strain meadow borer larvae collecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hatching holes on the collecting plate are in the shape of regular hexagons, which increases ventilation and space utilization.

5. The method for using the efficient alfalfa strain meadow borer larvae collecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The suspension system is connected to the insect egg collecting unit through a spiral structure, which makes it easy to hang the device in a nylon insect breeding cage, thereby ensuring the stability and convenient operation of the device.

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