A collection device for grey tea geometrid pupae

Abstract

The application provides a grey tea geometrid pupa collecting device, and belongs to the technical field of pest pupa collection. The device comprises a rearing cage, a collecting box, a movable drawer, pupation medium and a breathable iron mesh. The collecting box is fitted and embedded on the inner side of the bottom of the rearing cage, and the top of the collecting box is a circular open structure. The movable drawer is movably arranged in the collecting box, and the side wall of the collecting box is provided with a drawer slot matched with the movable drawer. The pupation medium is laid in the movable drawer. The breathable iron mesh covers the top opening of the collecting box, a sponge body is arranged in the opening, and tea branches are placed in the collecting box through the sponge body. The device utilizes the natural habit of downward migration of grey tea geometrids, realizes the automation of pupa collection, and does not need manual collection one by one. The size of the rearing cage and the collecting box is fully matched, and they are seamlessly embedded without gaps, so that the matured larvae can accurately fall into the collecting box when migrating downward along the tea branches, and there is no risk of omission. The height of the rearing cage guarantees the extension space of the tea branches, and meets the climbing and feeding needs of the larvae.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of insect pupa collection technology, and more specifically, to a collection device for the pupae of the gray tea geometrid moth. Background Technology

[0002] The tea looper is a common leaf-eating pest in my country's tea-growing regions. It has multiple generations per year, lays a large number of eggs, and is highly destructive, leading to a severe decline in tea yield and quality. Currently, effective control of the tea looper relies on chemical control, which raises safety concerns such as pesticide resistance, pesticide residues, and ecological damage. Therefore, how to sustainably, safely, and effectively control the tea looper has become a research hotspot. Indoor insect research often requires the artificial rearing of large numbers of uniformly developed insects. Establishing a stable laboratory population is crucial for ensuring a sufficient insect source and is an important foundation for conducting various research projects.

[0003] Existing methods for collecting pupae of the tea geometrid moth have significant limitations in adaptability to the pupation environment. Providing a suitable substrate based on the moth's natural preference for sandy loam soil for pupation is difficult, as it often relies on hydroponic tea branch crevices or substrate-free environments for pupation. This unstable pupation environment not only makes it difficult for some larvae to find suitable pupation sites but also reduces the pupation rate due to environmental fluctuations. Furthermore, the hatching rate of offspring emerging as adults under substrate-free conditions is significantly lower, failing to meet the requirements for establishing a stable laboratory population. In the pupal collection stage, existing methods are inefficient and easily damage the insects. Because the larvae pupate in scattered locations, some burrow into the tea branches and some scatter at the bottom of the cage, requiring manual searching by manually parting the branches one by one. Collecting 100 pupae often takes 1-2 hours, and the pupae are easily squeezed and scratched during the process. At the same time, the collection process of frequently opening the insect rearing cage and turning the tea branches will disrupt the pupation environment balance, disturb the larvae that have not yet completed pupation, and cause the population development rhythm to be disordered, making it difficult to obtain insects with uniform development, and also significantly increasing labor costs. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a device for collecting the pupae of the gray tea geometrid moth. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art or related technologies.

[0005] Therefore, this application provides a collection device for the pupae of the tea geometrid moth, which utilizes the natural habit of the tea geometrid moth to migrate downwards, thereby automating the collection of pupae without the need for manual collection one by one.

[0006] The collection device for the pupae of the tea geometrid moth provided in this application includes a rearing cage, a collection box, a movable drawer, a pupation medium, and a breathable wire mesh. The collection box is fitted into the inner bottom of the rearing cage, and its top is a circular open structure. The movable drawer is movably disposed within the collection box, and the side wall of the collection box has a pull-out slot matching the movable drawer. The pupation medium is laid inside the movable drawer. The breathable wire mesh covers the open top of the collection box, and a sponge is placed inside the open top; tea twigs are placed inside the collection box through the sponge.

[0007] In some embodiments, the insect cage has a rectangular structure with a zipper opening on the front.

[0008] In some embodiments, the insect cage is made of mesh material with a mesh size of 80 mesh.

[0009] In some embodiments, the collection box is made of transparent plastic and has a cuboid structure.

[0010] In some embodiments, the pupation medium is moist floral foam.

[0011] In some embodiments, the top circular opening edge of the collection box is provided with a first magnet, and the outer periphery edge of the breathable wire mesh is provided with a second magnet that is attracted to the first magnet.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution provided in this application includes at least the following technical effects: The present application provides a collection device for pupae of the tea geometrid moth, which utilizes the natural habit of the tea geometrid moth to migrate downwards, thereby automating the collection of pupae without the need for manual collection one by one. Lay pupation medium inside the movable drawer and push it into the collection box. Then cover the top circular opening of the collection box with a breathable wire mesh to complete the assembly. Thread a container with tea twigs through the breathable wire mesh and place it into the collection box. Then fit the collection box into the insect rearing cage. The larvae of the gray tea geometrid moth will climb and feed along the tea twigs in the rearing cage. When the larvae develop to the 4th or 5th instar mature stage, they will follow their natural habits and migrate downwards along the tea twigs, pass through the breathable wire mesh, and enter the movable drawer inside the collection box. Finally, they will burrow into the pupation medium to construct a pupal chamber and pupate. After most of the larvae have pupated, simply pull the movable drawer out of the collection box's pull-out slot to quickly collect the pupae in the pupation medium, avoiding manual searching. After collection, replace the pupation medium with new one in the movable drawer, push the drawer back into the collection box, and continue using it for the next batch of larvae to pupate. The operation is convenient and efficient.

[0013] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent in the following description or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the insect cage according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 These are schematic diagrams of the insect cages and collection boxes according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the collection box according to some embodiments of this application; Figure 4 The diagram shows the structure of the collection box and the breathable wire mesh in some embodiments of this application.

[0015] in, Figures 1 to 4 The correspondence between the reference numerals and component names in the attached drawings is as follows: 1. Insect cage; 11. Zipper; 2. Collection box; 21. First magnet; 3. Movable drawer; 31. Pupation medium; 4. Breathable wire mesh; 41. Second magnet; 5. Tea twig; 6. Sponge. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0017] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this application. However, this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0018] The following reference Figures 1 to 4 This application describes a collection device for the pupa of the gray tea geometrid moth, provided according to some embodiments.

[0019] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, a collection device for the pupae of the tea geometrid moth, provided according to some embodiments of this application, includes a rearing cage 1, a collection box 2, a movable drawer 3, a pupation medium 31, and a breathable wire mesh 4. The collection box 2 is fitted into the inner bottom of the rearing cage 1, and its top is a circular open structure. The movable drawer 3 is movably disposed within the collection box 2, and the side wall of the collection box 2 has a pull-out slot matching the movable drawer 3. The pupation medium 31 is laid inside the movable drawer 3. The breathable wire mesh 4 covers the top opening of the collection box 2, and a sponge 6 is disposed within the opening. Tea twigs 5 are placed inside the collection box 2 through the sponge 6.

[0020] In this embodiment, a pupation medium 31 is laid inside the movable drawer 3 and pushed into the collection box 2. A breathable wire mesh 4 is then placed over the circular opening at the top of the collection box 2 to complete the assembly. A tea branch 5 is inserted through the sponge 6 inside the breathable wire mesh 4 and into the pupation medium 31. The collection box 2 is then fitted and installed in the insect rearing cage 1. The larvae of the gray tea geometrid moth climb along the tea branch 5 to feed within the rearing cage 1. When the larvae develop to the 4th or 5th instar mature stage, they will follow their natural habits and climb along the tea branch 5. The larvae migrate downwards, pass through the breathable wire mesh 4, and enter the movable drawer 3 inside the collection box 2. Finally, they burrow into the pupation medium 31 to construct a pupal chamber for pupation. After most of the larvae have completed pupation, the movable drawer 3 can be pulled out directly from the pull-out slot of the collection box 2 to quickly collect the pupae in the pupation medium 31, avoiding the need for manual searching. After collection, new pupation medium 31 can be replaced into the movable drawer 3, and the drawer can be pushed back into the collection box 2 to continue to be used for the next batch of larvae to pupate. The operation is convenient and efficient.

[0021] In some possible embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the insect cage 1 has a rectangular structure with a zipper 11 opening on the front; the insect cage 1 is made of mesh with a mesh size of 80 meshes.

[0022] In this embodiment, the insect rearing cage 1 is a standard cuboid with dimensions of 42cm in length, 42cm in width, and 50cm in height. The 50cm height ensures that after the tea branch 5 passes through the breathable wire mesh 4 at the top of the collection box 2, the leaves can naturally extend into the cage, providing ample space for the larvae to climb and feed. At the same time, the 80-mesh mesh and the zipper 11 opening work together to form a protective barrier, which can not only prevent the invasion of inchworm predators and the escape of the insects, but also ensure ventilation and light transmission, creating a safe and suitable growth environment for the larvae. The zipper 11 opening on the front can be fully opened to the sides of the cage, forming an open operating space, which is convenient for staff to put in the tea branch 5 and observe the larvae.

[0023] In some possible embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the collection box 2 is made of transparent plastic and has a rectangular structure.

[0024] In this embodiment, the collection box 2 is a standard cuboid with dimensions of 42cm in length, 42cm in width, and 5cm in height. It fits perfectly to the bottom inner side of the insect rearing cage 1, allowing it to be seamlessly installed at the bottom of the cage without any gaps. This ensures that when mature larvae of the tea geometrid moth migrate downwards along the tea branch 5, they can only fall into the collection box 2, preventing larvae from being left at the bottom of the cage due to misalignment between the cage and the box. It also prevents mature larvae of the tea geometrid moth from crawling out through gaps and being unable to enter the pupation area. Furthermore, the transparent plastic material of the collection box 2 allows staff to directly observe the information inside the box, avoiding the environmental interference caused by the frequent opening and inspection required by traditional opaque collection boxes 2, thus ensuring a stable pupation process.

[0025] In some possible embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the pupation medium 31 is moist floral mud.

[0026] In this embodiment, the humidity of the moist floral foam needs to be maintained at 65%-80%. This humidity not only simulates the moist environment of natural soil, but also avoids water accumulation in the floral foam and suffocation of the pupae due to excessive moisture, or dryness of the floral foam and inability of the larvae to build the pupal chamber smoothly due to insufficient moisture. At the same time, the porous structure and loose texture of the floral foam perfectly simulate the sandy loam environment in which the gray tea geometrid moth naturally pupates. The larvae can easily burrow into the interior of the floral foam to build the pupal chamber, and the mesh structure of the floral foam can provide stable support and hiding space for the pupae, avoiding the pupae being exposed to the outside world and disturbed when pupating without a substrate. In addition, the pupae can be found quickly when collecting them.

[0027] In some possible embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the top circular opening edge of the collection box 2 is provided with a first magnet 21, and the outer periphery edge of the breathable wire mesh 4 is provided with a second magnet 41 that is attracted to the first magnet 21.

[0028] In this embodiment, the traditional method of fixing the breathable wire mesh 4 requires manual alignment using clips or tightening screws, which is cumbersome. By using the first magnet 21 and the second magnet 41 to attract the wire mesh, the operator only needs to bring the wire mesh close to the opening of the collection box 2, and the magnets will automatically attract it. The disassembly method only requires applying a slight pulling force to separate it, which improves the efficiency of operation.

[0029] When using the collection device for the pupae of the gray tea geometrid moth, firstly, a floral foam with a moisture content of 65%-80% is laid in the movable drawer 3 as a pupation medium 31. The movable drawer 3 is then pushed in along the pull-out slot on the side wall of the collection box 2. Next, a breathable wire mesh 4 is placed over the circular opening at the top of the collection box 2. The first magnet 21 at the edge of the opening automatically attracts and fixes the wire mesh to the second magnet 41 on the outer periphery, completing the assembly of the collection box 2. A tea branch 5 is then inserted through the sponge 6 inside the breathable wire mesh 4 and into the moist floral foam. Finally, the collection box 2 is fitted into the bottom of the insect rearing cage 1, ensuring a seamless fit. Gray tea geometrid moth larvae are then placed into the insect rearing cage 1, and the zipper 11 is closed. The 80-mesh mesh of the insect rearing cage 1 ensures air circulation inside and outside the cage. This system simultaneously prevents predators from invading and insects from escaping. The larvae climb along the tea branch 5 to the leaves to feed. Staff can observe the dynamics inside the transparent plastic collection box 2 in real time without opening it. When the larvae develop to the 4th or 5th instar mature stage, they follow the natural habit of migrating downwards, moving along the lower end of the tea branch 5, passing through the mesh of the breathable wire mesh 4 into the collection box 2, and finally burrowing into the moist floral mud in the movable drawer 3 to build a pupal chamber. The porous structure of the floral mud can simulate the natural sandy loam environment, providing a hidden and stable pupal space for the pupae. After most of the larvae have completed pupation, the movable drawer 3 can be pulled out from the collection box 2 to quickly screen the pupae in the floral mud, avoiding the tedious operation of manually searching one by one and reducing the risk of damage to the pupae.

[0030] In this application, it should be noted that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application 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 application.

[0031] 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 at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0032] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; 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. The term "multiple" refers to two or more, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0033] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0034] In this application, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "specific embodiment," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. 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.

[0035] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A device for collecting pupae of the gray tea geometrid moth, characterized in that, include: Insect cages; A collection box is fitted and installed inside the bottom of the insect rearing cage, and the top of the collection box has a circular open structure; A movable drawer is movably disposed within the collection box, and the side wall of the collection box is provided with a pull-out slot that matches the movable drawer; The pupation medium is laid inside the movable drawer; A breathable wire mesh covers the top opening of the collection box, and a sponge is placed inside the opening. Tea twigs are placed inside the collection box through the sponge.

2. The collection device for the pupae of the gray tea geometrid moth according to claim 1, characterized in that: The insect cage has a rectangular structure with a zipper opening on the front.

3. The collection device for the pupa of the gray tea geometrid moth according to claim 2, characterized in that: The insect cage is made of mesh, and the mesh size is 80 mesh.

4. The collection device for the pupa of the gray tea geometrid moth according to claim 1, characterized in that: The collection box is made of transparent plastic and has a rectangular structure.

5. The collection device for the pupae of the gray tea geometrid moth according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pupation medium is moist floral mud.

6. The collection device for the pupae of the gray tea geometrid moth according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top circular opening of the collection box is provided with a first magnet at its edge, and the outer periphery of the breathable wire mesh is provided with a second magnet that is attracted to the first magnet.

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