Tenebrio molitor breeding device and method

Abstract

The invention discloses a tenebrio molitor breeding device and method, and relates to the technical field of tenebrio molitor breeding equipment.The tenebrio molitor breeding device comprises a frame body and a separation box assembly; the separation box assembly comprises a separation box, a pupa separation sieve, a first fecula sieve, a second fecula sieve and a turnover sliding plate. The middle part of the separation box is rotationally connected to the frame body; the fecula sieve I and the fecula sieve II are correspondingly mounted at openings in the top end and the bottom end of the separation box; the insect and pupa separating screen is fixed to the middle in the separating box, a first breeding chamber is formed between the first fecula screen and the insect and pupa separating screen in the separating box, and a second breeding chamber is formed between the second fecula screen and the insect and pupa separating screen in the separating box. Pupa output holes communicated with the first breeding chamber and the second breeding chamber are formed in the positions, corresponding to the insect and pupa separating sieves, of the two opposite side walls of the separating box; overturning sliding plates capable of rotationally opening and closing the pupa output holes are hinged to the two opposite side walls of the separation box; the overturning sliding plate can be connected with the output end of the insect and pupa separating sieve to output pupae. According to the invention, larvae and pupae and pupae and adults can be conveniently and effectively separated, the breeding efficiency is improved, and the breeding cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of yellow mealworm breeding equipment, and in particular to a yellow mealworm breeding device and method. Background Art

[0002] The mealworm life cycle consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. During mealworm farming, separation of pupae and larvae is often necessary to facilitate their subsequent emergence into adults and reproduction, enabling large-scale farming. Currently, most mealworm farming companies rely on manual screening, selecting mature larvae and separating them promptly during their final molt to prevent larvae from preying on the pupae, potentially causing damage. The process of pupal emergence varies, and active adults may also prey on unemerged pupae, impacting reproductive efficiency. Mealworm breeding is labor-intensive, inefficient, and costly, making it difficult to scale up.

[0003] Therefore, how to design a mealworm breeding device and method that can conveniently and effectively separate larvae and pupae, separate pupae and adults, improve the efficiency of mealworm breeding and reduce breeding costs is an urgent problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention proposes a mealworm breeding device and method, aiming to solve the technical problems of low efficiency in separating pupae and high labor costs in the mealworm breeding process.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] In one aspect, the present invention provides a mealworm breeding device, comprising a frame and a separation box assembly;

[0007] The separation box assembly includes a separation box, an insect pupa separation screen, an insect feces screen 1, an insect feces screen 2 and a flip slide;

[0008] The middle portion of the separation box in the height direction is rotatably connected to the frame to form a rotating box that can be turned upside down; the top and bottom ends of the separation box are both open; the insect excrement screen 1 and the insect excrement screen 2 are installed in a one-to-one correspondence at the top and bottom ends of the separation box;

[0009] The insect pupa separation screen is fixed in the middle of the separation box, and the insect feces screen 1 and the insect feces screen 2 are arranged opposite to the insect pupa separation screen along the screen surface of the separation box in the height direction; the area between the insect feces screen 1 and the insect pupa separation screen in the separation box forms a breeding chamber 1; the area between the insect feces screen 2 and the insect pupa separation screen in the separation box forms a breeding chamber 2; and the two opposite side walls of the separation box perpendicular to the rotation axis thereof are provided with pupa output holes communicating with the breeding chamber 1 and the breeding chamber 2 at the positions corresponding to the insect pupa separation screens;

[0010] The two opposite side walls of the separation box perpendicular to its rotation axis are hinged with the flip slide that can rotate to open and close the corresponding pupa output holes; when the flip slide is opened, it can connect to the output end of the insect pupa separation screen to output the screened pupae, and can put yellow mealworms into the breeding room one and the breeding room two through the pupa output holes.

[0011] The present invention provides a yellow mealworm breeding device. A pupa separation screen disposed in the middle of a separation box divides the separation box into a first breeding chamber and a second breeding chamber along the height direction. Breeding chambers one and two are used to breed yellow mealworm larvae. Larvae and feed can be placed in breeding chambers one and two for breeding through a pupa outlet hole. When the separation box is flipped, the yellow mealworm larvae can pass through the pupa separation screen and exchange positions between breeding chambers one and two. Since the diameter of the pupae is larger than that of the larvae after the larvae transform into pupae, the pupae are blocked by the pupa separation screen when the separation box is flipped, thereby achieving separation of the pupa and the larvae. Rotating and shaking the separation box can accelerate the separation of the pupa and the larvae. When the separation box is tilted, the separated pupae slide along the pupa separation screen. The flip slide is opened and the pupa outlet hole is opened. The slid pupae pass through the pupa outlet hole and slide onto the flip slide connected to the pupa separation screen. The tilted flip slide can continue to transport and collect the pupae. The present invention can conveniently and efficiently separate pupae, reduce labor intensity, improve yellow mealworm breeding efficiency, and reduce breeding costs.

[0012] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the separation box assembly also includes an insect feces box; the top of the insect feces box is open and is arranged below the separation box, for collecting insect feces leaked from the insect feces screen one and the insect feces screen two.

[0013] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are: the insect feces box is used to centrally collect the insect feces leaked from the insect feces screen 1 and the insect feces screen 2, and the leakage of the insect feces can also be accelerated by rotating and shaking the separation box.

[0014] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, it also includes a hatching box assembly, which includes a hatching box arranged on one side of the separation box; the upper end of the hatching box is open to form a pupa input port; the output end of the flip slide in the open state can be connected to the pupa input port to transport the screened pupae into the hatching box.

[0015] The beneficial effect of the above technical solution is: the pupae separated by screening are introduced into the emergence box by using the flip slide, which realizes the rapid transfer of pupae without any handling operation link, and the operation is convenient and efficient.

[0016] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the emergence box assembly further includes an adult insect separation assembly; the adult insect separation assembly includes a flip plate and an adult insect capture curtain assembly;

[0017] One end of the flip plate is hingedly connected to a side of the top of the emergence box away from the separation box; the flip plate can be flipped to cover the pupa input port, thereby dimming the light in the emergence box; a plurality of slits are opened on the surface of the flip plate; the plurality of slits are sequentially spaced along the surface of the flip plate;

[0018] The adult insect capture curtain assembly includes a plurality of blackout curtains and a curtain fixing plate; the plurality of blackout curtains are spaced in sequence along the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate and the cloth surfaces are arranged opposite to each other; the top ends of the plurality of blackout curtains are all arranged on the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate; the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate abuts against the top surface of the flip plate and covers the plurality of slits; the plurality of blackout curtains are movably arranged in the plurality of slits one by one, and the bottom ends of the plurality of blackout curtains extend to the bottom of the hatching box; a dark area for attracting adult insects to gather is formed between any two adjacent blackout curtains; light-transmitting ventilation holes are provided on the side walls of the hatching box corresponding to the bottom of the inner cavity of the hatching box.

[0019] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are as follows: the pupae in the emergence box gradually emerge into adults; the flip plate covers the pupa input port at the top of the emergence box, constructing a darkroom environment in the emergence box; the state of the adult capture curtain assembly installed on the flip plate is: the curtain fixing plate covers the top surface of the flip plate, and the shading curtain passes through the corresponding slits and hangs vertically in the inner cavity of the emergence box; the light-transmitting vents can be used for ventilation and light can be brought to the bottom of the emergence box. Taking advantage of the photophobia of adult insects, the emerged adult insects will climb along the shading curtain to the dark area between the adjacent shading curtains above, and then be captured by the shading curtains, while the pupae still remain at the bottom of the emergence box, thereby realizing the separation of adults and pupae; the flip plate is rotated to open, and its bottom surface is facing upwards, and the curtain fixing plate is pulled downwards to drive the shading curtain to be pulled out from the corresponding slits. The adult insects on the shading curtain cannot pass through the slits and remain on the flip plate with the bottom surface facing upwards, thereby realizing the transfer of adults out of the emergence box and centralized collection.

[0020] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the adult insect capture curtain assembly also includes a plurality of traction plugs; the plurality of traction plugs are fixed one by one at the top corner ends of the plurality of blackout curtains; one end of the length direction of the plurality of slits is open; the plurality of traction plugs can be movably inserted into the corresponding slits from the openings of the plurality of slits, thereby driving the plurality of blackout curtains to penetrate into the plurality of slits one by one.

[0021] The beneficial effect of the above technical solution is: by designing the slits as open slits, and using the traction plug to pull the blackout curtain from the opening into the corresponding slit, the problem that the soft blackout curtain is difficult to pass through the slits is solved, and the adult insect capture curtain assembly can be quickly disassembled and assembled on the flip plate.

[0022] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, it also includes an egg-laying box, which is arranged on the side of the emergence box away from the separation box; the top of the egg-laying box is open to form an adult input port; the flip plate can be flipped upside down so that its other end corresponds to the adult input port, and the bottom surface of the flip plate is smooth, which can form an inclined conveying slide for conveying adults into the egg-laying box.

[0023] The beneficial effect of the above technical solution is that after the flip plate is flipped upside down, the end away from the hinge axis is tilted downward to form an inclined conveying slide structure, and then the smooth bottom surface of the flip plate is used to transport the adult insects to the egg-laying box, further improving the transfer efficiency of the adult insects and reducing the intensity of manual labor.

[0024] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the sieve holes of the insect pupa separation sieve are strip-shaped holes, and the sieve hole width is 3-8 mm.

[0025] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are: the sieve hole width of 3-8 mm is conducive to the passage of larvae and can block pupae on the insect-pupa separation sieve.

[0026] Another aspect of the present invention provides a mealworm breeding method, which uses the mealworm breeding device and comprises the following steps:

[0027] S1: Larvae breeding and separation of larvae and pupae; S1 specifically includes the following steps:

[0028] S11: Larvae breeding: Open the flip slide and place the larvae into the second breeding chamber through the pupa outlet for feeding and breeding; the excrement produced by the larvae leaks out of the separation box through the second excrement screen;

[0029] S12: After the larvae in the second breeding room partially transform into pupae, the larvae and pupae are separated; the flip slide is closed, and the separation box is rotated to flip it upside down, so that the larvae and pupae cultured in the second breeding room are transferred to the pupa separation screen for screening; after the pupae screening is completed, the flip slide is opened, and the separation box is rotated to tilt the pupa separation screen, so that the separated pupae slide out of the separation box through the flip slide; the separated larvae enter the breeding room one for further breeding;

[0030] S13: After the larvae in the first breeding room partially transform into pupae, the larvae and pupae are separated again; the flip slide is closed, and the separation box is rotated to flip it upside down, so that the larvae and pupae cultured in the first breeding room are transferred to the pupa separation screen for screening; after the pupae screening is completed, the flip slide is opened, and the separation box is rotated to tilt the pupa separation screen, so that the separated pupae slide out of the separation box through the flip slide; the separated larvae enter the second breeding room again for further breeding;

[0031] S14: Repeat steps 2 and 3, and add larvae to the culture chamber 1 or the culture chamber 2.

[0032] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the following steps are also included:

[0033] S2: Separation of adults and pupae; S2 specifically includes the following steps:

[0034] S21: The pupae outputted from the flip slide are transferred to the eclosion box for eclosion culture;

[0035] S22: Mounting the adult insect capture curtain assembly on a flip plate, and closing the flip plate to seal the pupae input port of the emergence box; utilizing the adult insects' photophobia to cause the emerging adult insects to crawl onto the light-blocking curtain;

[0036] S23: Turn the flip plate open and lay it flat with its bottom facing upwards, pull the curtain fixing plate downwards, and then drive the blackout curtain to be pulled out from the slit of the flip plate to transfer the adult insects captured on the blackout curtain to the flip plate and collect them together; the unemerged pupae remain in the emergence box.

[0037] As a further improvement of the above technical solution, the following steps are also included:

[0038] S3: Adult transfer and egg laying: Continue to rotate the flip plate so that the end away from the rotating shaft tilts downward, and use the smooth bottom surface of the flip plate to tilt the collected adults to the egg laying box for cultivation and egg laying.

[0039] It can be seen from the above technical solutions that, compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a mealworm breeding device and method, which has the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0040] The device of the present invention can separate mealworm pupae and separate pupae from adults conveniently and efficiently, reduces labor intensity and labor costs, greatly improves the efficiency of mealworm breeding and reproduction, reduces breeding costs, and is suitable for large-scale mealworm breeding.

[0041] The separation box assembly, the emergence box assembly and the egg-laying box in the device of the present invention are effectively connected to form an integrated mealworm breeding structure, which greatly simplifies and improves the operation process of late breeding and pupation of mature mealworm larvae, separation of larvae and pupae, transfer and transportation of pupae, emergence of pupae into adults, separation of pupae and adults, transfer and transportation of adults, and mating and egg-laying of adults, laying the foundation for the formation of large-scale breeding of mealworms. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying any creative work.

[0043] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a mealworm breeding device according to the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the installation state of an adult separation component of a yellow mealworm breeding device according to the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 A schematic side view of a mealworm breeding device according to the present invention;

[0046] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a mealworm breeding device according to the present invention showing a flip slide and a flip plate flipped open to a conveying state;

[0047] Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of a mealworm breeding device according to the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of an adult separation component of a mealworm breeding device according to the present invention;

[0049] In the figure: 1. Frame; 2. Separation box assembly; 21. Separation box; 211. Breeding room 1; 212. Breeding room 2; 213. Pupa output hole; 214. Hanging ear; 22. Pupa separation screen; 23. Insect feces screen 1; 24. Insect feces screen 2; 25. Turnover slide; 26. Insect feces box; 261. Insect feces output port; 27. Counterweight; 271. Lifting rope; 3. Emergence box assembly; 31. Emergence box; 311. Pupa input port; 312. Light-transmitting vent; 32. Adult separation assembly; 321. Turnover plate; 3211. Slit; 322. Adult capture curtain assembly; 3221. Blackout curtain; 3222. Curtain fixing plate; 3223. Traction plug; 33. Telescopic mechanism; 4. Egg-laying box; 41. Adult input port. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0051] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0052] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature identified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0053] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connect," "fixed," etc. should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed connection, detachable connection, or integration; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; internal communication between two components or interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0054] According to an embodiment of the present invention, Figures 1 to 6 As shown, a mealworm breeding device includes a frame 1 and a separation box assembly 2.

[0055] The separation box assembly 2 includes a separation box 21 , an insect pupa separation screen 22 , an insect excrement screen 1 23 , an insect excrement screen 24 and a turning slide 25 .

[0056] The middle part of the separation box 21 in the height direction is rotatably connected to the frame 1 through a rotating shaft to form a rotating box that can be inverted and flipped; the top and bottom ends of the separation box 21 are both open; the insect feces screen 1 23 and the insect feces screen 2 24 are fixedly installed on the top and bottom openings of the separation box 21 in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0057] The pupa separation screen 22 is fixed in the middle of the separation box 21, and the insect feces screen 1 23 and the insect feces screen 24 are arranged opposite to the pupa separation screen 22 along the screen surface in the height direction of the separation box 21; the area between the insect feces screen 1 23 and the pupa separation screen 22 in the separation box 21 forms a breeding room 1 211; the area between the insect feces screen 24 and the pupa separation screen 22 in the separation box 21 forms a breeding room 2 212; the two opposite side walls of the separation box 21 perpendicular to its rotation axis are provided with pupa output holes 213 corresponding to the pupa separation screen 22, which connect the breeding room 1 211 and the breeding room 2 212.

[0058] The two opposite side walls of the separation box 21 perpendicular to its rotation axis are hinged with a flip slide 25 that can rotate to open and close the corresponding pupa output holes 213; when the flip slide 25 is opened, it can connect to the output end of the insect pupa separation screen 22 to output the screened pupae, and can put yellow mealworms into the breeding room 1 211 and the breeding room 2 212 through the pupa output holes 213.

[0059] In a mealworm breeding device of this embodiment, a pupa separation screen 22 arranged in the middle of a separation box 21 divides the separation box 21 into a breeding chamber 1 211 and a breeding chamber 2 212 along the height direction; the breeding chamber 1 211 and the breeding chamber 2 212 are used for breeding mealworm larvae, and the larvae and feed can be placed into the breeding chamber 1 211 and the breeding chamber 2 212 for breeding through the pupa output hole 213. When the separation box 21 is flipped, the mealworm larvae can pass through the pupa separation screen 22 to exchange positions between the breeding chamber 1 211 and the breeding chamber 2 212; since the diameter of the pupa is larger than the diameter of the larvae after the larvae become pupae, the pupae will be blocked by the pupa separation screen 22 when the separation box 21 is flipped, thereby achieving the separation of the pupae; rotating and shaking the separation box 21 can accelerate the separation speed of the pupae; the separation box 21 is tilted, and the separated pupae will slide along the pupae separation screen 22, and the flip slide 25 is opened and opens the pupa output hole 213. The pupae that slide down pass through the pupa output hole 213 and slide onto the flip slide 25 connected to the pupae separation screen 22, and the pupae can continue to be transported and collected in a centralized manner using the tilted flip slide 25. The present invention can conveniently and efficiently separate pupae, reduce labor intensity, improve the efficiency of mealworm breeding, and reduce breeding costs.

[0060] In some embodiments, the separation box assembly 2 further includes an insect feces box 26 ; the insect feces box 26 has an open top and is disposed below the separation box 21 and fixed to the frame 1 , and is used to collect insect feces leaked from the insect feces screen 1 23 and the insect feces screen 2 24 .

[0061] The insect excrement box 26 is used to centrally collect the insect excrement leaked from the insect excrement screen 1 23 and the insect excrement screen 2 24, and can also accelerate the leakage of insect excrement by rotating and shaking the separation box 21.

[0062] Specifically, the inner bottom surface of the insect excrement box 26 is inclined, and the side wall of the insect excrement box 26 corresponding to the lower end side of its inner inclined bottom surface is provided with an insect excrement output port 261 connected to the inner cavity of the insect excrement box 26; an insect excrement collection bag can be arranged below the insect excrement output port 26 on the outside of the insect excrement box 26 to collect the insect excrement that slides out of the insect excrement box 26.

[0063] In some embodiments, a gap is provided between the bottom of the separation box 21 and the top of the insect excrement bin 26 for positioning a fixed slat. The fixed slat is inserted between the bottom of the separation box 21 and the top of the insect excrement bin 26 to position the separation box 21 and prevent rotation. The thickness of the fixed slat is the same as, or slightly less than, the gap between the bottom of the separation box 21 and the top of the insect excrement bin 26, making it easier to insert and remove the fixed slat from the gap.

[0064] In some embodiments, the separation box assembly 2 further includes a balancing weight 27 ; lugs 214 are fixed to the middle of the bottom and top of the side walls of the separation box 21 along the length direction; the balancing weight 27 is detachably hooked on the lugs 214 via a hanging rope 271 .

[0065] The function of the counterweight 27 is to stabilize the separation box 21. When the separation box 21 is upright or inverted, the counterweight 271 is hung below the separation box 21 to stabilize the separation box 21 in the upright or inverted state. Before rotating the separation box 21, the counterweight 27 must be removed before rotating the separation box 21.

[0066] In some embodiments, a hatching box assembly 3 is also included, which includes a hatching box 31 arranged below one side of the separation box 21 and fixed on the frame 1; the upper end of the hatching box 31 is open to form a pupa input port 311; the output end of the flip slide 25 in the open state can be connected to the pupa input port 311 to transport the screened pupae into the hatching box 31.

[0067] The pupae separated by screening are introduced into the emergence box 31 by using the flip slide 25, which realizes the rapid transfer of the pupae without the need for a handling operation, and the operation is convenient and efficient.

[0068] In some embodiments, the emergence box assembly 3 further includes an adult insect separation assembly 32 ; the adult insect separation assembly 32 includes a flip plate 321 and an adult insect capturing curtain assembly 322 .

[0069] One end of the flip plate 321 is hinged to the side of the top of the hatching box 31 away from the separation box 21 through a hinge shaft; the flip plate 321 can be flipped to adapt to the cover of the pupa input port 311, thereby dimming the light in the hatching box 31; a plurality of slits 3211 are opened on the surface of the flip plate 321 in the width direction; the plurality of slits 3211 are arranged in sequence along the length direction of the flip plate 321.

[0070] The adult insect capture curtain assembly 322 includes a plurality of light-blocking curtains 3221 and a curtain fixing plate 3222; the plurality of light-blocking curtains 3221 are spaced in sequence along the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate 3222 and the cloth surfaces are arranged relative to each other; the top ends of the plurality of light-blocking curtains 3221 are all arranged on the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate 3222; the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate 3222 abuts against the top surface of the flip plate 321 and covers the plurality of slits 3211; the plurality of light-blocking curtains 3221 are movably arranged in a one-to-one correspondence through the plurality of slits 3211, and the bottom ends of the plurality of light-blocking curtains 3221 extend to the bottom of the hatching box 31; a dark area for attracting adult insects to gather is formed between any two adjacent light-blocking curtains 3221; and light-transmitting ventilation holes 312 are provided on the side walls of the hatching box 31 corresponding to the bottom of the inner cavity of the hatching box 31.

[0071] The pupae in the emergence box 31 gradually emerge into adults; the flip plate 321 covers the pupa input port 311 at the top of the emergence box 31, and a dark room environment is constructed in the emergence box 31; the state of the adult capture curtain assembly 322 installed on the flip plate 321 is: the curtain fixing plate 3222 covers the top surface of the flip plate 321, and the light-shielding curtain 3221 passes through the corresponding slit 3211 and hangs vertically in the inner cavity of the emergence box 31; the light-transmitting vents 312 can be used for ventilation, and the bottom of the emergence box 31 can be illuminated, and the light-sensitive characteristics of the adults are used to catch the emerging adults. The pupae climb along the blackout curtain 3221 to the dark area between the adjacent blackout curtains 3221 above, and are then captured by the blackout curtain 3221. The pupae still remain at the bottom of the emergence box 31, thereby achieving separation of the adults and pupae; the flip plate 321 is rotated to open, and its bottom surface is facing upwards, and the curtain fixing plate 3222 is pulled downwards to drive the blackout curtain 3221 to be pulled out from the corresponding slit 3211. The adults on the blackout curtain 3221 cannot pass through the slit 3211, and remain on the flip plate 321 with the bottom surface facing upwards, thereby achieving the transfer of the adults out of the emergence box 31 and centralized collection.

[0072] Specifically, the light-transmitting and ventilation holes 312 can be round holes, square holes or strip holes with a hole diameter of 1-2 mm, which can meet the conditions of light and air permeability and prevent material leakage and adult insects from crawling out.

[0073] The flip plate 321 can be made of either wood or stainless steel. The slits 3211 are 0.5-1 mm wide. The shade curtain 3221 is thinner than the slits 3211 and is made of light-blocking fabric. A 1 cm gap is left between the bottom of the curtain 3221 and the bottom wall of the hatching box 31 to ensure that adult insects can climb onto it.

[0074] In some embodiments, the hatching box assembly 3 also includes a telescopic mechanism 33; the hatching box 31 is horizontally slidably connected to the frame 1, the telescopic mechanism 33 is fixedly mounted on the frame 1, and its telescopic end is transmission-connected to the hatching box 31 to drive the hatching box 31 to slide back and forth in the horizontal direction, thereby enabling the pupae loaded into the hatching box 31 to be evenly spread on the bottom surface of the hatching box 31 by reciprocating horizontal shaking.

[0075] In some embodiments, the adult insect capture curtain assembly 322 also includes a plurality of traction plugs 3223; the plurality of traction plugs 3223 are fixed one by one at the top corner ends of the plurality of blackout curtains 3221; one end of the plurality of slits 3211 in the length direction is open; the plurality of traction plugs 3223 can be moved one by one from the openings of the plurality of slits 3211 and adaptively inserted into the corresponding slits 3211, thereby driving the plurality of blackout curtains 3221 to pass through the plurality of slits 3211 one by one.

[0076] By designing the slit 3211 as an open slit and using the traction plug 3223 to pull the blackout curtain 3221 from the opening into the corresponding slit 3211, the problem that the soft blackout curtain 3221 is difficult to insert into the slit 3211 is solved, and the adult insect capture curtain assembly 322 can be quickly disassembled and assembled on the flip plate 321.

[0077] In some embodiments, the traction plug 3223 is strip-shaped and its length matches that of the blackout curtain 3221. The top of the blackout curtain 3221 is bonded to the traction plug 3223, and the top of the traction plug 3223 is bonded to or integrally connected to the bottom of the curtain fixing plate 3222. The traction plug 3223 is made of the same material as the curtain fixing plate 3222, which can be plastic or metal.

[0078] In some embodiments, an egg-laying box 4 is further included, which is arranged on the side of the emergence box 31 away from the separation box 21 and fixed on the frame 1; the top of the egg-laying box 4 is open to form an adult input port 41; the flip plate 321 can be flipped upside down so that its other end corresponds to the adult input port 41, and the bottom surface of the flip plate 321 is smooth and can form an inclined conveying slide for conveying adults into the egg-laying box 4.

[0079] After the flip plate 321 is flipped upside down, the end away from the hinge axis is tilted downward to form an inclined conveying slide structure, and then the smooth bottom surface of the flip plate 321 is used to convey the adults into the egg-laying box 4, further improving the transfer efficiency of the adults and reducing the labor intensity.

[0080] Specifically, the egg-laying box 4 can be designed with reference to existing technologies or by selecting existing products.

[0081] In some embodiments, the sieve holes of the insect pupa separation sieve 22 are strip-shaped holes, and the sieve hole width is 3-8 mm.

[0082] The sieve hole width of 3-8 mm facilitates the passage of larvae and can block pupae on the pupa separation sieve 22; the sieve hole width can be adaptively adjusted according to the breeding needs, the variety of mealworms and the size of pupae to ensure that the pupae can be well screened.

[0083] Specifically, the frame 1 has multiple placement surfaces; the insect excrement box 26, the emergence box 31 and the egg-laying box 4 are all placed on the corresponding placement surfaces; the bottom surface of the emergence box 31 is horizontally slidably connected to the upper end surface of the corresponding placement surface.

[0084] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a mealworm breeding method using a mealworm breeding device, comprising the following steps:

[0085] S1: Larvae breeding and separation of larvae and pupae; S1 specifically includes the following steps:

[0086] S11: Larvae breeding: Open the flip slide 25 and place the larvae and feed into the second breeding chamber 212 through the pupa output hole 213 for feeding and breeding; the excrement produced by the larvae leaks out of the separation box 21 through the second excrement screen 24;

[0087] S12: After the larvae in the second breeding chamber 212 partially transform into pupae, the larvae and pupae are separated; the flip slide 25 is closed, and the separation box 21 is rotated to be turned upside down, so that the larvae and pupae cultured in the second breeding chamber 212 are transferred to the pupa separation screen 22 for screening; after the pupae are screened, the flip slide 25 is opened, with one end connected to the pupa separation screen 22 and the other end tilted downward; the separation box 21 is rotated to tilt the pupa separation screen 22, so that the separated pupae slide out of the separation box 21 through the flip slide 25; the separated larvae enter the first breeding chamber 211 for further breeding;

[0088] S13: After some of the larvae in the first breeding chamber 211 have transformed into pupae, the larvae and pupae are separated again; the flip slide 25 is closed, and the separation box 21 is rotated to be turned upside down, so that the larvae and pupae cultured in the first breeding chamber 211 are transferred to the pupa separation screen 22 for screening; after the pupae are screened, the flip slide 25 is opened, with one end connected to the pupa separation screen 22 and the other end tilted downward; the separation box 21 is rotated to tilt the pupa separation screen 22, so that the separated pupae slide out of the separation box 21 through the flip slide 25; the separated larvae re-enter the second breeding chamber 212 for continued breeding;

[0089] S14: Repeat steps 2 and 3, and add an appropriate amount of larvae to the first breeding room 211 or the second breeding room 212.

[0090] Specifically, the larvae and feed can be transported obliquely to the first breeding room 211 or the second breeding room 212 by turning the slide plate 25, which makes the operation more convenient.

[0091] In some embodiments, the following steps are further included:

[0092] S2: Separation of adults and pupae; S2 specifically includes the following steps:

[0093] S21: The pupae outputted from the flip slide 25 are transferred to the eclosion box 31 for eclosion culture;

[0094] S22: The adult insect capture curtain assembly 322 is mounted on the flip plate 321, and the flip plate 321 is closed to cover the pupa input port 311 of the emergence box 31; the adult insects are photophobic, so that the emerging adult insects crawl onto the light-blocking curtain 3221;

[0095] S23: Turn the flip plate 321 open and lay it flat with its bottom facing upwards, pull the curtain fixing plate 3222 downwards, and thereby drive the blackout curtain 3221 to be pulled out from the slit 3211 of the flip plate 321, so as to transfer the adult insects captured on the blackout curtain 3221 to the flip plate 321 and collect them together; the unemerged pupae remain in the emergence box 31.

[0096] Specifically, when separating adults and pupae at night, LED lights can be installed on the side walls of the emergence box 31 to allow light to enter the bottom area of ​​the emergence box 31 through the light-transmitting vents 312 .

[0097] In some embodiments, the following steps are further included:

[0098] S3: transfer of adults and laying eggs; continue to rotate the flip plate 321 so that the end away from the shaft tilts downward, using the smooth bottom surface of the flip plate 321 to tilt the collected adults to the egg-laying box 4, using the egg-laying box 4 for adult cultivation and egg-laying.

[0099] Specifically, the egg hatching process and the feeding of the hatched larvae are carried out with reference to the existing technical methods and will not be described in detail here.

[0100] In the description of this specification, the reference terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0101] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it will be understood that the above embodiments are illustrative and are not to be construed as limitations on the present invention. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mealworm breeding device, characterized in that: It comprises a frame (1) and a separation box assembly (2); The separation box assembly (2) includes a separation box (21), an insect pupa separation screen (22), an insect excrement screen 1 (23), an insect excrement screen 2 (24) and a flip slide (25); The middle portion of the separation box (21) in the height direction is rotatably connected to the frame (1) to form a rotating box capable of being turned upside down; the top and bottom ends of the separation box (21) are both open; the insect excrement screen 1 (23) and the insect excrement screen 2 (24) are mounted on the top and bottom openings of the separation box (21) in a one-to-one correspondence; The pupa separation screen (22) is fixed in the middle of the separation box (21), and the insect feces screen 1 (23) and the insect feces screen 2 (24) are arranged opposite to the pupa separation screen (22) along the screen surface in the height direction of the separation box (21); the area between the insect feces screen 1 (23) and the pupa separation screen (22) in the separation box (21) forms a breeding chamber 1 (211); the area between the insect feces screen 2 (24) and the pupa separation screen (22) in the separation box (21) forms a breeding chamber 2 (212); the two opposite side walls of the separation box (21) perpendicular to the rotation axis thereof are provided with pupa output holes (213) corresponding to the insect feces separation screen (22) for communicating with the breeding chamber 1 (211) and the breeding chamber 2 (212); The two opposite side walls of the separation box (21) perpendicular to its rotation axis are both hinged with the flip slide (25) capable of rotating to open and close the corresponding pupa output holes (213); when the flip slide (25) is opened, it can connect with the output end of the insect pupa separation screen (22) to output the screened pupae, and can put yellow mealworms into the breeding room 1 (211) and the breeding room 2 (212) through the pupa output holes (213).

2. A mealworm breeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The separation box assembly (2) further includes an insect excrement box (26); the insect excrement box (26) has an open top and is arranged below the separation box (21) for collecting insect excrement leaked from the insect excrement screen 1 (23) and the insect excrement screen 2 (24).

3. The mealworm breeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The invention also includes an eclosion box assembly (3), wherein the eclosion box assembly (3) includes an eclosion box (31) arranged on one side of the separation box (21); the upper end of the eclosion box (31) is open to form a pupa input port (311); the output end of the flip slide (25) in the open state can be connected to the pupa input port (311) to transport the screened pupae into the eclosion box (31).

4. A mealworm breeding device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The emergence box assembly (3) further includes an adult insect separation assembly (32); the adult insect separation assembly (32) includes a flip plate (321) and an adult insect capture curtain assembly (322); One end of the flip plate (321) is hinged to a side of the top of the emergence box (31) away from the separation box (21); the flip plate (321) can be flipped to adapt to cover the pupa input port (311), thereby dimming the light in the emergence box (31); a plurality of slits (3211) are formed on the surface of the flip plate (321); the plurality of slits (3211) are arranged in sequence along the surface of the flip plate (321); The adult insect capturing curtain assembly (322) comprises a plurality of light-shielding curtains (3221) and a curtain fixing plate (3222); the plurality of light-shielding curtains (3221) are sequentially spaced along the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate (3222) and the cloth surfaces are arranged opposite to each other; the top ends of the plurality of light-shielding curtains (3221) are all arranged on the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate (3222); the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate (3222) abuts against the top surface of the flip plate (321) and blocks the light. The plurality of slits (3211) are covered; the plurality of light-shielding curtains (3221) are movably arranged in correspondence with each other in the plurality of slits (3211), and the bottom ends of the plurality of light-shielding curtains (3221) extend to the bottom of the hatching box (31); a dark area for attracting adult insects to gather is formed between any two adjacent light-shielding curtains (3221); and light-transmitting vents are provided on the side walls of the hatching box (31) corresponding to the bottom of the inner cavity of the hatching box (31).

5. The mealworm breeding device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The adult insect capture curtain assembly (322) further comprises a plurality of traction inserts (3223); the plurality of traction inserts (3223) are fixed one-to-one at the top corner ends of the plurality of light-blocking curtains (3221); one end of the plurality of slits (3211) in the length direction is open; the plurality of traction inserts (3223) can be movably inserted into the corresponding slits (3211) from the openings of the plurality of slits (3211), thereby driving the plurality of light-blocking curtains (3221) to pass through the plurality of slits (3211) one-to-one.

6. The mealworm breeding device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The invention also includes an egg-laying box (4), which is arranged on a side of the emergence box (31) away from the separation box (21); the top of the egg-laying box (4) is open to form an adult input port (41); the flip plate (321) can be flipped upside down so that its other end corresponds to the adult input port (41); the bottom surface of the flip plate (321) is smooth and can form an inclined conveying slide for conveying adults into the egg-laying box (4).

7. The mealworm breeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sieve holes of the insect pupa separation sieve (22) are strip-shaped holes, and the sieve hole width is 3-8 mm.

8. A method for breeding mealworms, characterized in that: Using a mealworm breeding device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising the following steps: S1: Larvae breeding and separation of larvae and pupae; S1 specifically includes the following steps: S11: Larvae breeding, open the flip slide (25), and place the larvae into the second breeding chamber (212) through the pupa output hole (213) for feeding and breeding; the excrement produced by the larvae leaks out to the outside of the separation box (21) through the second excrement screen (24); S12: After the larvae in the second breeding room (212) partially transform into pupae, the larvae and pupae are separated; the flip slide (25) is closed, and the separation box (21) is rotated to flip it upside down, so that the larvae and pupae cultured in the second breeding room (212) are transferred to the pupa separation screen (22) for screening; after the pupae are screened, the flip slide (25) is opened, and the separation box (21) is rotated to tilt the pupa separation screen (22), so that the separated pupae slide out of the separation box (21) through the flip slide (25); the separated larvae enter the breeding room (211) for continued breeding; S13: After some of the larvae in the breeding room 1 (211) have transformed into pupae, the larvae and pupae are separated again; the flip slide (25) is closed, and the separation box (21) is rotated to flip it upside down, so that the larvae and pupae cultured in the breeding room 1 (211) are transferred to the pupa separation screen (22) for screening; after the pupae are screened, the flip slide (25) is opened, and the separation box (21) is rotated to tilt the pupa separation screen (22), so that the separated pupae slide out of the separation box (21) through the flip slide (25); the separated larvae enter the breeding room 2 (212) again for continued breeding; S14: Repeat steps 2 and 3, and add larvae to the culture chamber 1 (211) or the culture chamber 2 (212).

9. A method for breeding mealworms according to claim 8, characterized in that: The following steps are also included: S2: Separation of adults and pupae; S2 specifically includes the following steps: S21: transferring the pupae outputted from the flip slide (25) to the eclosion box (31) for eclosion culture; S22: installing the adult insect capturing curtain assembly (322) on the flip plate (321), and making the flip plate (321) cover the pupa input port (311) of the hatching box (31); utilizing the photophobia of the adult insects, the hatched adult insects are made to crawl onto the light-blocking curtain (3221); S23: The flip plate (321) is rotated and opened, and its bottom surface is placed flat upwards, and the curtain fixing plate (3222) is pulled downwards, thereby driving the blackout curtain (3221) to be pulled out from the slit (3211) of the flip plate (321), so as to transfer the adult insects captured on the blackout curtain (3221) to the flip plate (321) and collect them together; the unemerged pupae remain in the emergence box (31).

10. A method for breeding mealworms according to claim 9, characterized in that: The following steps are also included: S3: Transfer of adults and egg laying; continue to rotate the flip plate (321) so that the end away from the rotating shaft tilts downward, and use the smooth bottom surface of the flip plate (321) to tilt the collected adults to the egg laying box (4) for cultivation and egg laying.

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