A breeding device and method for tenebrio molitor

Abstract

The application discloses a yellow mealworm breeding device and method, and relates to the technical field of yellow mealworm breeding equipment, which comprises a frame body and a separation box assembly; the separation box assembly comprises a separation box, a worm pupa separation sieve, a worm excrement sieve one, a worm excrement sieve two and a turnover sliding plate; the middle part of the separation box is rotationally connected to the frame body; the worm excrement sieve one and the worm excrement sieve two are correspondingly installed at the top end and the bottom end of the separation box; the worm pupa separation sieve is fixed in the middle part of the separation box, and the separation box is provided with a breeding chamber one between the worm excrement sieve one and the worm pupa separation sieve and a breeding chamber two between the worm excrement sieve two and the worm pupa separation sieve; the separation box is provided with pupa output holes which are connected to the breeding chamber one and the breeding chamber two and are arranged at the positions corresponding to the worm pupa separation sieve on the two side walls; the two side walls of the separation box are both hinged with the turnover sliding plate which can rotate to open and close the pupa output holes; and the turnover sliding plate can be connected to the output end of the worm pupa separation sieve to output pupae. The application can conveniently and effectively separate the larvae from the pupae, separate the pupae from the adult insects, improve the breeding and propagation efficiency and reduce the breeding cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of yellow mealworm breeding equipment technology, and in particular to a yellow mealworm breeding device and method. Background Technology

[0002] The mealworm life cycle consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. During mealworm farming, it's often necessary to separate the pupae and larvae to facilitate their emergence as adults for reproduction and large-scale farming. Currently, most mealworm farming enterprises use manual sorting. Mature larvae must be separated from the pupae during their final molt to prevent larvae from eating the pupae and causing injury. The pupa-to-adult emergence process varies in speed; adults are more active and may also eat unemerged pupae, affecting reproductive efficiency. Mealworm breeding is labor-intensive, inefficient, and costly, making it difficult to achieve large-scale farming.

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

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

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] This invention provides a yellow mealworm breeding device, including a frame and a separation box assembly;

[0007] The separation box assembly includes a separation box, an insect pupa separation sieve, an insect excrement sieve I, an insect excrement sieve II, and a tilting slide plate;

[0008] The separation box is rotatably connected to the frame at its height center to form a rotating box that can be inverted and flipped; the top and bottom of the separation box are both open; the insect excrement screen one and the insect excrement screen two are installed one-to-one at the top and bottom openings of the separation box respectively.

[0009] The insect pupa separation screen is fixed in the middle of the separation box. The insect excrement screen one and the insect excrement screen two are arranged opposite to the screen surface of the insect pupa separation screen along the height direction of the separation box. The area between the insect excrement screen one and the insect pupa separation screen in the separation box forms a breeding chamber one. The area between the insect excrement screen two and the insect pupa separation screen in the separation box forms a breeding chamber two. The two opposite side walls of the separation box perpendicular to its rotation axis are provided with pupae output holes corresponding to the insect pupa separation screen, which connect the breeding chamber one and the breeding chamber two.

[0010] The separation box has two opposite side walls perpendicular to its axis of rotation, each hinged with a flip-board that can rotate to open and close the corresponding pupa output hole. When the flip-board is open, it can connect to the output end of the pupa separation sieve to output the sieved pupae, and can put yellow mealworms into the first and second breeding chambers through the pupa output holes.

[0011] This invention provides a mealworm breeding device. A pupa separation screen located in the middle of a separation box divides the box into two rearing chambers along its height: a first rearing chamber and a second rearing chamber. Both chambers are used to raise mealworm larvae. Larvae and feed can be placed into these chambers through a pupa outlet. When the separation box is tilted, mealworm larvae can pass through the pupa separation screen to exchange positions between chambers. Since the diameter of the pupa is larger than that of the larva after maturing, the pupa is blocked by the pupa separation screen during the tilting process, thus achieving pupa separation. Rotating and shaking the separation box accelerates the pupa separation speed. When the separation box is tilted, the separated pupae slide down the pupa separation screen. The tilting slide opens the pupa outlet, allowing the sliding pupae to fall through the outlet onto the tilting slide connected to the pupa separation screen. The tilting slide continues to transport and collect the pupae. This invention provides a convenient and efficient way to separate pupae, reducing manual labor intensity, improving mealworm breeding efficiency, and lowering breeding costs.

[0012] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the separation box assembly also includes an insect excrement box; the top of the insect excrement box is open and located below the separation box, for collecting the insect excrement that leaks out from the first insect excrement sieve and the second insect excrement sieve.

[0013] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are: the insect excrement box is used to collect the insect excrement that leaks out from the insect excrement sieve one and insect excrement sieve two, and the leakage of insect excrement can also be accelerated by rotating and shaking the separation box.

[0014] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, a feathering box assembly is also included, the feathering box assembly including a feathering box arranged on one side of the separation box; the upper end of the feathering box is open to form a pupa input port; the output end of the flipping slide in the open state can be connected to the pupa input port to convey the screened pupae into the feathering box.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are: by using a flip-over slide to introduce the pupae separated by screening into the emergence box, the pupae are quickly transferred without any handling operations, making the operation convenient and efficient.

[0016] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the emergence box assembly also includes an adult insect separation assembly; the adult insect separation assembly includes a flipping plate and an adult insect trapping curtain assembly;

[0017] One end of the flip plate is hinged to the top of the feathering box on the side away from the separation box; the flip plate can be flipped to fit and cover the pupa input port, thereby darkening the light inside the feathering box; multiple slits are opened on the surface of the flip plate; the multiple slits are arranged sequentially and at intervals along the surface of the flip plate.

[0018] The adult insect capture curtain assembly includes multiple light-blocking curtains and a curtain fixing plate; the multiple light-blocking curtains are arranged sequentially at intervals along the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate with their fabric surfaces facing each other; the top ends of the multiple light-blocking curtains are all located 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 multiple slits; the multiple light-blocking curtains are movably inserted into the multiple slits one by one, and the bottom ends of the multiple light-blocking curtains extend to the bottom of the emergence box; a dark area is formed between any two adjacent light-blocking curtains to attract adult insects to gather; the side wall of the emergence box is provided with light-transmitting and ventilation holes corresponding to the bottom of the emergence box cavity.

[0019] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are as follows: the pupae in the emergence box gradually emerge into adults; the flipping plate covers the pupal input port at the top of the emergence box, creating a dark chamber environment inside the emergence box; the adult trapping curtain assembly is installed on the flipping plate in the following state: the curtain fixing plate covers the top surface of the flipping plate, and the light-blocking curtain passes through the corresponding slits and hangs vertically in the inner cavity of the emergence box; ventilation is possible through the light-transmitting ventilation holes, and light can also be introduced into the bottom of the emergence box. Taking advantage of the photophobia of adults, emerging adults will climb along the light-blocking curtain to the dark area between adjacent light-blocking curtains above, and then be captured by the light-blocking curtain, while the pupae remain at the bottom of the emergence box, thus achieving separation of adults and pupae; the flipping plate is rotated open so that its bottom surface faces upward, and the curtain fixing plate is pulled down to pull the light-blocking curtain out from the corresponding slits. The adults on the light-blocking curtain cannot pass through the slits and remain on the flipping plate with its bottom surface facing upward, thus realizing the exit of adults from the emergence box and centralized collection.

[0020] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the adult insect capture curtain assembly also includes a plurality of traction blocks; the plurality of traction blocks are fixed one-to-one at the top corners of the plurality of blackout curtains; one end of the plurality of slits is open along their length; the plurality of traction blocks can be inserted into the corresponding slits from the openings of the slits, thereby driving the plurality of blackout curtains to pass through the slits one-to-one.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are: by designing the slits as open slits, the traction insert is used to pull the blackout curtain from the opening into the corresponding slit, which solves the problem that the soft blackout curtain is not easy to pass through the slit, and realizes the quick assembly and disassembly of the adult insect capture curtain assembly on the flip plate.

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

[0023] The beneficial effects of the above technical solution are: after the flipping plate is flipped and inverted, the end away from the hinge axis is tilted downward to form an inclined conveying slide structure. Then, the smooth bottom of the flipping plate is used to transport adult insects into the oviposition box, which further improves the transfer efficiency of adult insects and reduces the intensity of manual labor.

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

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

[0026] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for breeding yellow mealworms, using the aforementioned yellow mealworm breeding device; comprising the following steps:

[0027] S1: Larval rearing and separation of larvae from pupae; S1 specifically includes the following steps:

[0028] S11: Larval rearing. Open the flip-over slide plate and put the larvae into rearing chamber two through the pupa output hole for feeding and rearing. The insect excrement produced by the larvae is leaked out of the separation box through insect excrement sieve two.

[0029] S12: After the larvae in rearing room two pupate, the larvae and pupae are separated; the flip-board is closed, and the separation box is rotated to flip it upside down, so that the larvae and pupae reared in rearing room two are transferred to the pupa separation screen for sieving; after the pupa separation is completed, the flip-board 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-board; the separated larvae enter rearing room one for continued rearing;

[0030] S13: After the larvae in breeding room one have pupated, the larvae and pupae are separated again; the flip-board is closed, and the separation box is rotated to flip it upside down, so that the larvae and pupae raised in breeding room one are transferred to the pupa separation screen for sieving; after the pupa separation is completed, the flip-board 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-board; the separated larvae are put back into breeding room two for continued breeding;

[0031] S14: Repeat steps two and three, and replenish larvae in either rearing room one or rearing room two.

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

[0033] S2: Separate the adult insect from the pupa; S2 specifically includes the following steps:

[0034] S21: Transfer the pupae output from the flip-board to the emergence box for emergence culture;

[0035] S22: Install the adult insect trapping curtain assembly on the flip plate and cover the pupal input port of the emergence box with the flip plate; take advantage of the photophobia of the adults to make the emerging adults climb onto the light-blocking curtain;

[0036] S23: Rotate to open the flip plate and lay it flat with its bottom facing up. Pull down the curtain fixing plate, which will then pull the blackout curtain out from the slits of the flip plate to transfer the adult insects captured on the blackout curtain to the flip plate and collect them. Unemerged pupae remain in the emergence box.

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

[0038] S3: Adult transfer and oviposition; Continue to rotate the flip plate so that the end away from the axis of rotation is tilted downwards. Use the smooth bottom surface of the flip plate to tilt and transport the collected adults to the oviposition box for cultivation and oviposition.

[0039] As can be seen from the above technical solution, compared with the prior art, the present invention discloses a yellow mealworm breeding device and method, which has the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0040] The device of this invention can conveniently and efficiently separate pupae and adults, reducing labor intensity and labor costs, greatly improving the efficiency of yellow mealworm breeding and reproduction, reducing breeding costs, and is suitable for large-scale yellow mealworm breeding.

[0041] The device of this invention effectively connects the separation box assembly, the eclosion box assembly, and the oviposition box to construct an integrated yellow mealworm breeding structure. This greatly simplifies and improves the efficiency of the operation process, including the later rearing and pupation of mature yellow mealworm larvae, the separation of larvae and pupae, the transfer and transportation of pupae, the emergence of pupae into adults, the separation of pupae and adults, the transfer and transportation of adults, and the mating and oviposition of adults. This lays the foundation for the large-scale breeding of yellow mealworms. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

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

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

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

[0046] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the flip-board and flip-plate flipped open to the conveying state in a yellow mealworm breeding device of the present invention;

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

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

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

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

[0051] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this 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 technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0053] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

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

[0055] The separation box assembly 2 includes a separation box 21, a pupa separation sieve 22, an insect excrement sieve 1 23, an insect excrement sieve 24, and a flip-over slide plate 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 of the separation box 21 are open; the insect excrement screen 1 23 and the insect excrement screen 24 are fixedly installed at the top and bottom openings of the separation box 21 respectively.

[0057] The pupa separation screen 22 is fixed in the middle of the separation box 21. The frass screen 1 23 and the frass screen 24 are arranged opposite to the frass screen 22 along the height direction of the separation box 21. The area between the frass screen 1 23 and the pupa separation screen 22 in the separation box 21 forms the first breeding chamber 211. The area between the frass screen 24 and the pupa separation screen 22 in the separation box 21 forms the second breeding chamber 212. The two opposite side walls of the separation box 21 perpendicular to its axis of rotation are provided with pupa output holes 213 connecting the first breeding chamber 211 and the second breeding chamber 212 at the location of the pupa separation screen 22.

[0058] The two opposite side walls of the separation box 21, perpendicular to its axis of rotation, are hinged with a flip-board plate 25 that can rotate to open and close the corresponding pupa output hole 213. When the flip-board plate 25 is open, it can connect to the output end of the pupa separation screen 22 to output the screened pupae, and can put yellow mealworms into the first breeding chamber 211 and the second breeding chamber 212 through the pupa output hole 213.

[0059] In this embodiment, a yellow mealworm breeding device is provided. The pupa separation screen 22 located in the middle of the separation box 21 divides the separation box 21 into a first breeding chamber 211 and a second breeding chamber 212 along the height direction. The first breeding chamber 211 and the second breeding chamber 212 are used to raise yellow mealworm larvae. The larvae and feed can be put into the first breeding chamber 211 and the second breeding chamber 212 for feeding through the pupa output hole 213. When the separation box 21 is tilted, the mealworm larvae can pass through the pupa separation screen 22 to exchange positions between rearing chamber one 211 and rearing chamber two 212. Since the diameter of the pupa is larger than that of the larva after it transforms into a pupa, the pupa is blocked by the pupa separation screen 22 when the separation box 21 is tilted, thus achieving pupa separation. Rotating and shaking the separation box 21 can accelerate the pupa separation speed. When the separation box 21 is tilted, the separated pupae slide down along the pupa separation screen 22. The tilting slide plate 25 opens and opens the pupae output hole 213. The sliding pupae pass through the pupae output hole 213 and slide onto the tilting slide plate 25 connected to the pupa separation screen 22. The tilted tilting slide plate 25 can continue to transport and collect the pupae. This invention can conveniently and efficiently separate pupae, reduce manual labor intensity, improve the breeding efficiency of mealworms, and reduce breeding costs.

[0060] In some embodiments, the separation box assembly 2 further includes an insect excrement box 26; the insect excrement box 26 is open at the top and is located below the separation box 21 and fixed on the frame 1, for collecting insect excrement leaked from the insect excrement sieve 1 23 and the insect excrement sieve 24.

[0061] The insect excrement box 26 is used to collect the insect excrement that leaks out from the insect excrement sieve 23 and the insect excrement sieve 24. The leakage of insect excrement can also be accelerated by rotating and shaking the separation box 21.

[0062] Specifically, the bottom surface of the insect droppings box 26 is inclined, and an insect droppings outlet 261 communicating with the inner cavity of the insect droppings box 26 is opened on the side wall corresponding to the lower end of the inclined bottom surface of the insect droppings box 26; an insect droppings collection bag can be arranged below the insect droppings outlet 261 on the outside of the insect droppings box 26 to collect the insect droppings that have slipped out of the insect droppings box 26.

[0063] In some embodiments, a gap is provided between the bottom end of the separation box 21 and the top end of the insect excrement box 26 for placing a fixing strip; the fixing strip is inserted between the bottom end of the separation box 21 and the top end of the insect excrement box 26 to limit the separation box 21 and prevent it from rotating. The thickness of the fixing strip is the same as or slightly smaller than the gap between the bottom end of the separation box 21 and the top end of the insect excrement box 26, which facilitates the insertion and removal of the fixing strip at the gap.

[0064] In some embodiments, the separation box assembly 2 further includes a counterweight 27; hooks 214 are fixed at the bottom and top of the side wall of the separation box 21 along the middle of the length direction; the counterweight 27 is detachably hooked onto the hooks 214 by a suspension rope 271.

[0065] The counterweight 27 is used to stabilize the separation box 21. When the separation box 21 is upright or inverted, the counterweight 27 is suspended below the separation box 21 to keep it stable in either position. Before rotating the separation box 21, the counterweight 27 must be removed.

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

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

[0068] In some embodiments, the molting 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 trapping curtain assembly 322.

[0069] One end of the flip plate 321 is hinged to the top of the feathering box 31 away from the separation box 21 via a hinge shaft; the flip plate 321 can be flipped to fit the cover of the pupa inlet 311, thereby darkening the light inside the feathering box 31; multiple slits 3211 are provided on the surface of the flip plate 321 along the width direction; the multiple slits 3211 are arranged sequentially at intervals along the length direction of the surface of the flip plate 321.

[0070] The adult insect capture curtain assembly 322 includes multiple light-blocking curtains 3221 and a curtain fixing plate 3222; the multiple light-blocking curtains 3221 are arranged sequentially at intervals along the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate 3222 and with their fabric surfaces facing each other; the tops of the multiple light-blocking curtains 3221 are all located 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 multiple slits 3211; the multiple light-blocking curtains 3221 are movably inserted into the multiple slits 3211 in a one-to-one correspondence, and the bottom ends of the multiple light-blocking curtains 3221 all extend to the bottom of the emergence box 31; a dark area is formed between any two adjacent light-blocking curtains 3221 to attract adult insects to gather; the side walls of the emergence box 31 are provided with light-transmitting ventilation holes 312 corresponding to the bottom of the inner cavity of the emergence box 31.

[0071] The pupae inside the emergence box 31 gradually emerge as adults. The flip plate 321 covers the pupal inlet 311 at the top of the emergence box 31, creating a dark environment inside. The adult trapping curtain assembly 322 is installed on the flip plate 321 in the following manner: the curtain fixing plate 3222 covers the top surface of the flip plate 321, and the light-blocking curtain 3221 passes through the corresponding slits 3211 and hangs vertically inside the emergence box 31. Ventilation is possible through the light-transmitting ventilation holes 312, and light can also be present at the bottom of the emergence box 31. Utilizing the photophobia of adults, emerging adults will... The adult insect climbs along the dark area between adjacent blackout curtains 3221 and is captured by the blackout curtain 3221. The pupa remains at the bottom of the emergence box 31, thus separating the adult insect from the pupa. The flip plate 321 is rotated and opened so that its bottom surface faces upward. The curtain fixing plate 3222 is pulled down, which in turn causes the blackout curtain 3221 to be pulled out from the corresponding slit 3211. The adult insect on the blackout curtain 3221 cannot pass through the slit 3211 and remains on the flip plate 321 with its bottom surface facing upward, thus realizing the transformation of the adult insect out of the emergence box 31 and its centralized collection.

[0072] Specifically, the light-transmitting and ventilation holes 312 can be round, square, or strip-shaped, with a diameter of 1-2 mm, to ensure light and ventilation while preventing material leakage and adult insects from crawling out.

[0073] The specific flipping plate 321 can be made of wood or stainless steel; the width of the slit 3211 is 0.5-1mm; the thickness of the blackout curtain 3221 is less than the width of the slit 3211, and the blackout curtain 3221 is made of blackout fabric. A 1cm gap is left between the bottom end of the blackout curtain 3221 and the inner bottom wall of the emergence box 31 to ensure that the adult insects can climb onto the blackout curtain 3221.

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

[0075] In some embodiments, the adult insect trapping curtain assembly 322 further includes a plurality of traction blocks 3223; the plurality of traction blocks 3223 are fixed one-to-one with the top corners 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 blocks 3223 can move from the openings of the plurality of slits 3211 and be inserted into the corresponding slits 3211, thereby driving the plurality of blackout curtains 3221 to pass into the plurality of slits 3211 one-to-one.

[0076] By designing the slit 3211 as an open slit, the traction insert 3223 is used to pull the blackout curtain 3221 from the opening into the corresponding slit 3211, which solves the problem that the soft blackout curtain 3221 is not easy to pass through the slit 3211, and realizes the quick assembly and disassembly of the adult insect capture curtain assembly 322 on the flip plate 321.

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

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

[0079] After the flip plate 321 is flipped and inverted, the end away from the hinge axis is tilted downward to form an inclined conveying slide structure. The smooth bottom of the flip plate 321 is then used to transport adult insects into the oviposition box 4, which further improves the transfer efficiency of adult insects and reduces the intensity of manual labor.

[0080] Specifically, the spawning box 4 can be designed with reference to existing technology or selected from existing products.

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

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

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

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

[0085] S1: Larval rearing and separation of larvae from pupae; S1 specifically includes the following steps:

[0086] S11: Larval rearing. Open the flip-up slide plate 25 and put the larvae and feed into the rearing chamber 212 through the pupa output hole 213 for feeding and rearing. The insect excrement produced by the larvae is leaked out of the separation box 21 through the insect excrement sieve 24.

[0087] S12: After the larvae in rearing chamber 212 pupate, the larvae and pupae are separated; the flip-board slide 25 is closed, and the separation box 21 is rotated to flip it upside down, so that the larvae and pupae reared in rearing chamber 212 are transferred to the pupa separation screen 22 for sieving; after the pupa separation is completed, the flip-board slide 25 is opened and one end is connected to the pupa separation screen 22, and the other end is tilted downwards; 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 via the flip-board slide 25; the separated larvae enter rearing chamber 1 211 for further rearing;

[0088] S13: After some of the larvae in rearing chamber 1 211 pupate, the larvae and pupae are separated again; the flip-board slide 25 is closed, and the separation box 21 is rotated to flip it upside down, so that the larvae and pupae reared in rearing chamber 1 211 are transferred to the pupa separation screen 22 for sieving; after the pupa separation is completed, the flip-board slide 25 is opened and one end is connected to the pupa separation screen 22, while the other end is tilted downwards; 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 via the flip-board slide 25; the separated larvae are then put back into rearing chamber 2 212 for continued rearing;

[0089] S14: Repeat steps two and three, and add an appropriate amount of larvae to breeding room 1 211 or breeding room 2 212.

[0090] Specifically, larvae and feed can be tilted and transported into breeding chamber 1 211 or breeding chamber 2 212 by flipping the slide plate 25, making the operation more convenient.

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

[0092] S2: Separate the adult insect from the pupa; S2 specifically includes the following steps:

[0093] S21: Transfer the pupae output from the flipping slide 25 to the emergence box 31 for emergence culture;

[0094] S22: Install the adult insect capture curtain assembly 322 on the flip plate 321 and cover the pupal inlet 311 of the closed emergence box 31 with the flip plate 321; take advantage of the photophobia of the adult insects to make the emerging adults climb onto the light-blocking curtain 3221.

[0095] S23: Rotate to open the flip plate 321 and lay it flat with its bottom facing up. Pull down the curtain fixing plate 3222, thereby pulling the light-blocking curtain 3221 out from the slit 3211 of the flip plate 321 to transfer the adult insects captured on the light-blocking curtain 3221 to the flip plate 321 and collect them. 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 wall of the emergence box 31 so that light can enter the bottom area of ​​the emergence box 31 through the light-transmitting ventilation hole 312.

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

[0098] S3: Adult transfer and oviposition; Continue to rotate the flip plate 321 so that the end away from the rotating axis tilts downwards, and use the smooth bottom surface of the flip plate 321 to tilt and transport the collected adults to the oviposition box 4, and use the oviposition box 4 to carry out adult cultivation and oviposition.

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

[0100] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0101] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A yellow mealworm breeding device, characterized in that, Includes a frame (1) and a separation box assembly (2); The separation box assembly (2) includes a separation box (21), a pupa separation screen (22), an insect excrement screen one (23), an insect excrement screen two (24), and a flip-over slide plate (25); The separation box (21) is rotatably connected to the frame (1) in the height direction to form a rotating box that can be inverted and flipped; the top and bottom of the separation box (21) are open; the insect excrement screen one (23) and the insect excrement screen two (24) are installed one-to-one at the top and bottom openings of the separation box (21); The pupa separation screen (22) is fixed in the middle of the separation box (21). The first pupa screen (23) and the second pupa screen (24) are arranged opposite to the pupa separation screen (22) along the height direction of the separation box (21). A breeding chamber one (211) is formed in the area between the first pupa screen (23) and the pupa separation screen (22) in the separation box (21). A breeding chamber two (212) is formed in the area between the second pupa screen (24) and the pupa separation screen (22) in the separation box (21). Pupa output holes (213) connecting the breeding chamber one (211) and the breeding chamber two (212) are opened on the two opposite side walls of the separation box (21) perpendicular to its rotation axis, corresponding to the pupa separation screen (22). The separation box (21) has two opposite side walls perpendicular to its axis of rotation, each hinged with a flipping slide (25) that can rotate to open and close the corresponding pupa output hole (213). When the flipping slide (25) is open, it can connect to the output end of the pupa separation sieve (22) to output the sieved pupae, and can put yellow mealworms into the first breeding chamber (211) and the second breeding chamber (212) through the pupa output hole (213).

2. The mealworm breeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The separation box assembly (2) also includes an insect excrement box (26); the top of the insect excrement box (26) is open and located below the separation box (21) for collecting insect excrement leaked from the first insect excrement sieve (23) and the second insect excrement sieve (24).

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

4. The mealworm breeding device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The molting 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 the top of the feathering box (31) on the side away from the separation box (21); the flip plate (321) can be flipped to fit and cover the pupa inlet (311), thereby darkening the light inside the feathering box (31); multiple slits (3211) are opened on the surface of the flip plate (321); the multiple slits (3211) are arranged sequentially at intervals along the surface of the flip plate (321); The adult insect trapping curtain assembly (322) includes multiple blackout curtains (3221) and a curtain fixing plate (3222); the multiple blackout curtains (3221) are arranged sequentially at intervals along the bottom surface of the curtain fixing plate (3222) with their fabric surfaces facing each other; the tops of the multiple blackout curtains (3221) are all located 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 enclosure is covered with multiple slits (3211); multiple light-blocking curtains (3221) are movably inserted into the multiple slits (3211) in a corresponding manner, and the bottom ends of the multiple light-blocking curtains (3221) extend to the bottom of the emergence box (31); a dark area is formed between any two adjacent light-blocking curtains (3221) to attract adult insects to gather; the side wall of the emergence box (31) is provided with light-transmitting and ventilation holes corresponding to the bottom of the inner cavity of the emergence box (31).

5. The mealworm breeding device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The adult insect capture curtain assembly (322) also includes a plurality of traction blocks (3223); the plurality of traction blocks (3223) are fixed one-to-one at the top corners 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 blocks (3223) can be inserted into the corresponding slits (3211) from the openings of the plurality of slits (3211) one-to-one, thereby driving the plurality of light-blocking curtains (3221) to pass into the plurality of slits (3211) one-to-one.

6. The mealworm breeding device according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes an oviposition box (4), which is arranged on the side of the emergence box (31) away from the separation box (21); the top of the oviposition box (4) is open to form an adult insect input port (41); the flipping plate (321) can be flipped upside down so that its other end corresponds to the adult insect input port (41), the bottom surface of the flipping plate (321) is smooth and can form an inclined conveying slide for conveying adults into the oviposition 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 with a width of 3-8 mm.

8. A method for breeding yellow mealworms, characterized in that, Using a mealworm breeding device as described in any one of claims 1-7; comprising the following steps: S1: Larval rearing and separation of larvae from pupae; S1 specifically includes the following steps: S11: Larval rearing. Open the flip-over slide (25) and put the larvae into rearing chamber two (212) through the pupa output hole (213) for feeding and rearing; the larvae's excrement leaks out through the excrement sieve two (24) to the outside of the separation box (21); S12: After the larvae in breeding room two (212) pupate, the larvae and pupae are separated; the flip-board slide (25) is closed, and the separation box (21) is rotated to flip it upside down, so that the larvae and pupae raised in breeding room two (212) are transferred to the pupa separation screen (22) for sieving; after the pupa sieving is completed, the flip-board 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-board slide (25); the separated larvae enter breeding room one (211) for continued breeding; S13: After the larvae in breeding room one (211) pupate, the larvae and pupae are separated again; the flip-board slide (25) is closed, and the separation box (21) is rotated to flip it upside down, so that the larvae and pupae raised in breeding room one (211) are transferred to the pupa separation screen (22) for sieving; after the pupa separation is completed, the flip-board 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-board slide (25); the separated larvae are put back into breeding room two (212) for continued breeding; S14: Repeat steps two and three, and replenish larvae in rearing chamber one (211) or rearing chamber two (212).

9. The method for breeding yellow mealworms according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: S2: Separate the adult insect from the pupa; S2 specifically includes the following steps: S21: Transfer the pupae output from the flipping slide (25) to the emergence box (31) for emergence culture; S22: Install the adult insect trapping curtain assembly (322) on the flip plate (321) and cover the pupal inlet (311) of the closed emergence box (31) with the flip plate (321); take advantage of the photophobia of the adults to make the emerging adults climb onto the light-blocking curtain (3221); S23: Rotate to open the flip plate (321) and lay it flat with its bottom facing up. Pull down the curtain fixing plate (3222) to drive the light-blocking curtain (3221) out from the slit (3211) of the flip plate (321) so as to transfer the adult insects captured on the light-blocking curtain (3221) to the flip plate (321) and collect them in a concentrated manner; the unemerged pupae remain in the emergence box (31).

10. A method for breeding yellow mealworms according to claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: S3: Adult transfer and oviposition; Continue to rotate the flip plate (321) so that the end away from the rotating axis tilts downwards, and use the smooth bottom surface of the flip plate (321) to tilt and transport the collected adults to the oviposition box (4) for cultivation and oviposition.

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