Method for raising insects, insect-raising feed, insect, and insect raising device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a raising method with which insects to be raised grow efficiently, and technology for rearing insects such as an insect feed. [Solution] Provided is a method for raising insects, the method including a step for supplying, as a bait to insects to be raised, excrement of insects different from the insects to be raised.

Description

Insect breeding method, insect breeding feed, insects, and insect breeding device

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for raising insects, food for raising insects, insects raised by the method, and an insect raising device for raising insects by the method.

[0002] Insect rearing methods using bait that efficiently rears insects are known, such as a method of rearing insects using grain husks (see Patent Document 1), yeast that improves insect health (see Patent Document 2), artificial feed for bat moth larvae containing roots of the tubercle plant (see Patent Document 3), feed for housefly larvae that is a mixture of livestock excrement and burned animal bone meal (see Patent Document 4), a method of treating shochu lees in which houseflies are reared using a mixture of shochu lees and a moisture regulator (see Patent Document 5), and a method of treating vegetable food waste using larvae of Noctuidae insects that feed on vegetable food waste that has been treated to prevent decay (see Patent Document 6).

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-158905 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-501604 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-536394 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-245532 Japanese Patent No. 3533466 Japanese Patent No. 3338704

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an insect rearing technique such as a rearing method and insect feed that allows the target insects to grow efficiently.

[0005] That is, the present invention is a method for raising insects, which includes a step of providing excrement of an insect of a species different from the insect to be raised as food to the insect to be raised.

[0006] In another aspect of the present invention, the excrement may be excrement excreted by the different species of insect that has eaten food containing mulberry leaves and / or powder thereof.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention may be a method for raising insects, wherein the different species of insect belongs to a different order from the target insect. The method may also be a method for raising insects, wherein the target insect belongs to the order Coleoptera and / or Diptera, and the different species of insect belongs to the order Lepidoptera. The different species of insect may belong to the superfamily Bombycoidea, and the target insect may belong to the family Tenebrionidae.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention may be a method for raising insects, wherein the moisture content of the excrement is 20% to 40% by weight.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is food for raising insects, which contains excrement from an insect of a species other than the insect to be raised.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is a cultivated insect.

[0011] Another aspect of the present invention is an insect rearing device for rearing insects. The insect rearing device may include a receiving means for receiving insects to be reared and excrement of an insect of a species other than the insect to be reared, the receiving means receiving the excrement so that the insects to be reared can eat it. Another insect rearing device may include a receiving means for receiving insects to be reared and insect feed, the receiving means receiving the feed so that the insects to be reared can eat it.

[0012] The insect rearing apparatus may include a means for maintaining the moisture content of the feed at 20% to 40% by weight, and may also include a means for maintaining the moisture content of the insect rearing feed at 20% to 40% by weight.

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently grow insects to be raised. Since insect excrement is used as food for the insects to be raised, it is possible to produce them at low cost.

[0014] 1 is a diagram showing the progression of insect weight using the insect rearing method of the embodiment. An asterisk in the diagram indicates that the p-value obtained by the t-test was less than 0.05. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the progression of insect weight using the insect rearing method of the embodiment. Groups indicated by different letters in the diagram indicate that the p-value was less than 0.05 in Bonferroni's multiple comparison after one-way analysis of variance. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the progression of insect growth rate using the insect rearing method of the embodiment. The growth rate here is a value indicating how many times the average weight at the start has increased since the start, with the average weight at the start being set at 1. An asterisk in the diagram indicates that the p-value was less than 0.05 in the t-test.

[0015] The present invention will be described in detail below based on embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0016] The present invention relates to a method for raising insects, the method comprising the step of providing excrement of an insect of a species other than the target insect as food to the target insect. In one embodiment of the present invention, the excrement is excrement excreted by the other species of insect after eating food containing mulberry leaves and / or powder thereof. Mulberry leaves refer to leaves of plants belonging to the genus Morus in the family Moraceae, and have long been used as food for silkworm larvae. In this embodiment, the excrement may also be excrement excreted by the other species of insect after eating food containing mulberry leaf powder. Examples of food containing mulberry leaf powder include compound feed for silkworm larvae, and compound feed containing 20 to 30% mulberry leaf powder is commonly known.

[0017] In another embodiment of the present invention, the other insect species belongs to a different order than the insect being cultivated. More specifically, the insect being cultivated may belong to the order Coleoptera and / or Diptera. Alternatively, the other insect species may belong to the order Lepidoptera.

[0018] More specifically, if the insect to be cultivated belongs to the order Coleoptera, it may be an insect belonging to the family Tenebrionidae. If the insect to be cultivated is an insect belonging to the family Tenebrionidae, the insect may be the rice mealworm (Tenebrio obscurus), the brown mealworm (T. molitor), the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum), the rice mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), or the shiny mealworm (Zophobas atratus / Zophobos morio), more preferably their larvae. The insect to be cultivated may be a mealworm.

[0019] More specifically, when the insect to be raised belongs to the order Diptera, it may be an insect belonging to the family Stratiomyiidae, the family Tephritidae, or the family Muscidae. When the insects to be raised belong to the family Stratiomyiidae, Tephritidae, or Muscidae, the insects may be American black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), small soldier fly (Ptecticus tenebrifer), black soldier fly (Stratiomys japonica), citrus fly (Tetradacus tsuneonis), oriental fruit fly (Strumeta dorsalis), melon fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae / Zeugodacus cucurbitae), pumpkin fruit fly (Parazeugodacus depressus), thistle fruit fly (Urophora sachalinensis), Japanese amber fruit fly (Oedaspis japonica), cherry fruit fly (Rhacochlaena japonica), or brown amber fruit fly (Anomoia vulgaris), Acrotaeniostola scutellaris, Paragastrozona japonica, Hemilea infuscata, Campiglossa hirayamae, Xyphosia punctigera, Tephritis majuscula, Ensina sonchi, Sphaeniscus atilia, Rhabdochaeta asteria, Musca domestica, Musca sorbens, Stomoxys calcitrans, Drosophila melanogaster, and the like are more preferred, and larvae thereof are also preferred.

[0020] When the different insect species belongs to the superfamily Bombycoidea, the insects are specifically Bombyx mori, Bombyx mandarina, Oberthuria falcigera, Pseudandraca gracilis, Prismosticta hyalinata, Actias artemis aliena, Samia Cynthia ricini, Samia Cynthia pryeri, Antheraea pernyi, Antheraea yamamai, Rhodinia fugax fugax, Rhodinia jankowskii hattoriae, Aglia tau microtau, Dictyoploca japonica japonica), the Japanese mountain moth (Caligula boisduvalii jonasii), the Yonaguni moth (Attacus atlas ryukyuensis), the mopane worm (Gonimbrasia belina), Cricula trifenestrata, etc., and more preferably, the larvae thereof.

[0021] Here, when the different species of insect belongs to the superfamily Bombycoidea, the excrement of the different species of insect is also called silkworm feces and / or silkworm litter. The insect rearing method of this embodiment is a method for rearing insects that includes a step of providing silkworm feces and / or silkworm litter to the insects to be reared as food.

[0022] The present invention also relates to insect feed containing excrement from a species of insect other than the insect being raised. The insect feed contains at least insect excrement, but may also contain other ingredients. Examples of other ingredients include grains such as wheat flour, corn, rice, soybeans, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, as well as their by-products, organic waste such as mushroom beds, residues derived from plant-based foods, and binders such as starch and carboxymethyl cellulose.

[0023] The moisture content of excrement from other insects or feed containing such excrement is not limited, but may be 20% to 40% by weight. In the case of insect feed containing other ingredients in addition to excrement, the moisture content of the entire feed may be 20% to 40% by weight. Specifically, the moisture content of the feed (feed) may be 20, 25, 30, 35, or 40% by weight.

[0024] Here, when the different insect species belongs to the superfamily Bombycoidea, the excrement of the different insect species is also called silkworm feces and / or silkworm litter. The insect feed of this embodiment is an insect feed containing silkworm feces and / or silkworm litter.

[0025] One aspect of the method for raising insects may include the steps of adjusting the moisture content of excrement of a species of insect different from the insect to be raised to 20% to 40% by weight, providing the excrement of the species of insect different from the insect to be raised, with the moisture content adjusted, as food for the insect to be raised, raising the insect to be raised, and harvesting the insect to be raised. In the step of harvesting the insect to be raised, the insect to be raised may be harvested by separating it from the excrement of the insect to be raised and / or any remaining food for the insect to be raised.

[0026] In one embodiment, the insect feed contains at least excrement produced by another insect that has eaten a feed containing mulberry leaves and / or powder thereof. The other insect may belong to a different order from the insect to be raised, for example, the insect to be raised may belong to the order Coleoptera and / or Diptera, and the other insect may belong to the order Lepidoptera, or may be a larva of a Lepidoptera.

[0027] The present invention also provides an insect rearing device. The insect rearing device of the present invention is equipped with a receiving means for receiving at least the insects to be reared and excrement of an insect of a species other than the insects to be reared, and / or feed containing excrement of the insects of a species other than the insects to be reared, and is an apparatus in which the insects to be reared can be reared by feeding on the excrement and / or feed. The insect rearing device may also be equipped with a temperature and humidity control means for controlling the temperature and humidity to conditions that allow the insects to grow efficiently. A specific example of the receiving means is a container.

[0028] Here, when the other insect species belongs to the superfamily Bombycoidea, the excrement of the other insect species is also called silkworm droppings and / or silkworm litter. The insect rearing device of this embodiment is an apparatus that includes a receiving means for receiving at least the insects to be reared, silkworm droppings and / or silkworm litter, and / or feed containing silkworm droppings and / or silkworm litter, and allows the insects to be reared to feed on the silkworm droppings and / or silkworm litter and rear them. The receiving means may be, for example, a container.

[0029] In another embodiment, the insect rearing apparatus includes a moisture content maintaining means for maintaining the moisture content of the bait containing excrement of another insect species or the feed containing part of the excrement of another insect species at 20% to 40% by weight. The moisture content maintaining means may be a humidity maintaining means for maintaining the humidity of the insect rearing atmosphere. The moisture content maintained by the moisture content maintaining means may be specifically 20, 25, 30, 35, or 40% by weight. Specific examples of the moisture content maintaining means include a sprayer that sprays water onto the bait or feed, and a humidifier.

[0030] Here, when the other species of insect belongs to the superfamily Bombycoidea, the excrement of the other species of insect is also called silkworm droppings and / or silkworm litter. The insect rearing device of this embodiment is provided with a moisture content maintaining means for maintaining the moisture content of the feed containing silkworm droppings and / or silkworm litter, or the feed containing silkworm droppings and / or silkworm litter in part, at 20% to 40% by weight.

[0031] Furthermore, the present invention encompasses insects raised by the above-mentioned insect raising method, insects raised by feeding the above-mentioned insect raising feed, and insects raised in the above-mentioned insect raising apparatus.

[0032] The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0033] A rearing test of mealworm (T. molitor) larvae was conducted using silkworm (B. mori) excrement as a food source (Example 1). As a comparative example, wheat bran, which is known to support stable rearing of mealworm larvae, was used (Comparative Example 1). The moisture content of the food in Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 was not adjusted. Twenty larvae and 10 g of food were placed in a cylindrical plastic container (approximately 13 cm in diameter and 4.5 cm in height) and reared in an incubator set at 25°C for four weeks. The results are shown in Figure 1. After two and four weeks of rearing, the weight of the larvae in Example 1 was significantly greater than that in Comparative Example 1, indicating efficient rearing.

[0034] Furthermore, the moisture content of the silkworm excrement was adjusted to 20% by weight (Example 2), 30% by weight (Example 3), 40% by weight (Example 4), and 50% by weight (Example 5), and similar rearing tests were conducted. For the comparative example, wheat bran was used, and the moisture content was not adjusted (Comparative Example 2). Figure 2 shows the changes in the average weight of larvae at the start (week 0), 2 weeks, and 4 weeks. In all examples, the average weight of larvae after 2 weeks of rearing was significantly higher than in Comparative Example 2. The average weight of larvae after 4 weeks was significantly higher than in Comparative Example 2 under conditions of moisture content of 20 to 40% by weight (Examples 2 to 4).

[0035] Furthermore, a rearing test of Z. atratus larvae was conducted using B. mori excrement as a diet (Example 6). Wheat bran was used as a comparative example (Comparative Example 3). Fifteen larvae (average weight 0.06 g) per group were housed in cylindrical plastic containers and reared in an incubator set at 25°C and 50% relative humidity. Ten larvae were randomly selected at the start, one week, two weeks, and three weeks, and the average weight was calculated from the weights of the eight larvae excluding the largest and smallest. Figure 3 shows the growth rate, with the initial weight taken as 1. The growth rate of Example 6 after two to three weeks from the start of rearing was significantly higher than that of Comparative Example 3.

[0036] The present invention includes the following aspects. [Aspect 1] A method for raising insects, comprising a step of providing excrement of an insect of a species other than the insect to be raised as food to the insect to be raised. [Aspect 2] The method for raising insects according to Aspect 1, wherein the excrement is excrement produced by the other insect after eating food containing mulberry leaves and / or powder thereof. [Aspect 3] The method for raising insects according to Aspect 1 or 2, wherein the other insect belongs to a different order from the insect to be raised. [Aspect 4] The method for raising insects according to any of Aspects 1 to 3, wherein the insect to be raised belongs to the order Coleoptera and / or Diptera, and the other insect belongs to the order Lepidoptera. [Aspect 5] The method for raising insects according to any of Aspects 1 to 4, wherein the other insect belongs to the superfamily Bombycoidea. [Aspect 6] The method for raising insects according to any of Aspects 1 to 5, wherein the water content of the excrement is 20% to 40% by weight. [Aspect 7] A method for raising insects according to any one of Aspects 1 to 6, wherein the target insects belong to the Tenebrionidae family. [Aspect 8] Insect feed containing at least excrement from an insect of a species other than the target insects. [Aspect 9] Insect feed according to Aspect 8, having a moisture content of 20% to 40% by weight. [Aspect 10] An insect raised by the method according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7. [Aspect 11] An insect raised by providing the insect feed according to Aspect 8 or 9. [Aspect 12] An insect raising apparatus, comprising receiving means for receiving insects to be raised and excrement from an insect of a species other than the target insects, wherein the receiving means receives the excrement so that the target insects can eat it. [Aspect 13] An insect rearing apparatus, comprising a receiving means for receiving insects to be reared and the insect rearing feed according to Aspect 8 or 9, wherein the receiving means receives the feed so that the insects to be reared can consume it. [Aspect 14] The insect rearing apparatus according to Aspect 12 or 13, comprising a means for maintaining the moisture content of the feed or feed at 20% to 40% by weight.

Claims

1. A method for raising insects, comprising a step of providing excrement of an insect of a species different from the insect to be raised as food to the insect to be raised.

2. The method for raising insects according to claim 1, wherein the excrement is excrement produced by the different species of insects after eating food containing mulberry leaves and / or powder thereof.

3. The method for raising insects according to claim 2, wherein the different species of insect belongs to a different order from the insect to be raised.

4. The method for raising insects according to claim 3, wherein the insect to be raised belongs to the order Coleoptera and / or Diptera, and the different species of insect belongs to the order Lepidoptera.

5. The method for raising insects according to claim 4, wherein the different species of insect belongs to the superfamily Bombycoidea.

6. The method for raising insects according to claim 5, wherein the moisture content of the excrement is 20% to 40% by weight.

7. The method for raising insects according to claim 4, wherein the insects to be raised belong to the Tenebrionidae family.

8. Food for raising insects, which contains at least excrement from an insect species other than the insect being raised.

9. The insect feed according to claim 8, wherein the moisture content is 20% to 40% by weight.

10. An insect raised by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

11. Insects raised by feeding them with the insect feed according to claim 8.

12. An insect rearing device comprising a receiving means for receiving insects to be reared and excrement of insects of a species other than the insects to be reared, the receiving means receiving the excrement so that the insects to be reared can eat it.

13. An insect rearing device comprising a receiving means for receiving insects to be reared and the insect rearing feed according to claim 8, wherein the receiving means receives the feed so that the insects to be reared can consume it.

14. An insect rearing apparatus as claimed in claim 12 or 13, comprising means for maintaining the moisture content of the food or feed at between 20% and 40% by weight.

Images