Several keys to breeding locusts

When it comes to locusts, many people may not know much about it, but only know that it is an insect, and its specific efficacy and function may not be particularly clear. in fact, locusts have high function and nutritional value, and they are rich in protein. It is a delicious dish in some places.

What is a locust?

Locusts are insects of the suborder Orthoptera, commonly known as grasshoppers. Locusts are rich in nutritional value and are a kind of high-quality food. At the same time, it can also be used as medicine and is a high-protein animal feed. Therefore, locusts, which have brought great disasters to human beings for thousands of years, have suddenly become very friendly and lovely, people have begun to breed locusts, and many locust farmers have sprung up all over the country. Locust breeding is in the ascendant. In this context, many articles about locust breeding techniques are reported in the newspaper. However, the author found that many articles talk about locust breeding techniques in general, the focus is not prominent enough, and even some details are not very accurate. Therefore, this paper wants to explain several key links in locust breeding, in order to be helpful to the majority of locust farmers.

Selection and identification of provenances of farmed locusts

It is known that there are more than 10 000 species of locusts in the world and more than 1000 species in China, but only a few of them can be cultured, and many species are difficult to distinguish from the external morphology. Therefore, whether it is collected from the wild or purchased for introduction, farmers must carefully identify the species and find out the species of locusts. To do so, one is to conform to the type ordered by the customer. The second is to ensure that the introduced species are in line with the local climatic conditions, and breeding is easy to succeed. The third is to be able to get the maximum breeding benefit.

The methods to determine the species of locusts are:

① consults locust classification expert

② consult the key to locusts or atlas.

③ consults experienced locust farmers.

④ sends locust species to customers for identification and review.

Common species of farmed locusts are: East Asian migratory locust, cotton locust, Chinese rice locust, Chinese grasshopper and so on. Each of these varieties has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is necessary to comprehensively consider its growth cycle, algebra, taste, food, size, customer needs and other factors, and combined with the local climate, food sources and other conditions to select breeding varieties.

Construction of locust breeding shed

The shape of the ① culture shed is not limited to one style, and the rectangular frame structure or the arched or trapezoidal vegetable greenhouse can be adopted flexibly according to their own existing conditions, but the rectangular culture shed is generally better.

② building breeding shed with bricks, sticks, bamboo sticks, steel pipes and other materials can be, the principle is in line with their own economic strength, make full use of existing materials, but also strong and durable.

The yarn mesh material used by ③ as shed should be strong, there should be no gap, the number of mesh should be appropriate, and the hole should not be too large, otherwise it will lead to the escape of young nymphs.

The ④ breeding shed is generally 1.5-2m high, and the yarn net on one side should be left behind to facilitate the management of entry and exit. The way to keep the door can be zipped, adhesive tape, door frame and so on, generally commonly used zipper, the principle is not only convenient for people to get in and out, but also not to escape from locusts.

For heat preservation or rain protection, ⑤ can be covered with plastic sheeting. When the temperature is high and the locusts are bigger (more than 3 years old), do not cover with plastic sheeting when they are not afraid of rain.

If ⑥ uses natural conditions to raise migratory locusts, the construction of the shed must be completed by the end of April, as northern locust eggs can usually hatch in May.

The ⑦ shed site chooses a place with plenty of ventilation and sunshine, which is beneficial to the growth and development of locusts.

Before building the ⑧ shed, we must first use the methods of trapping, trapping and boiling water to wipe out the natural enemies of ants, mole crickets and other locusts on the ground, which is the basis of successful grasshopper breeding.

⑨ in order to facilitate the rainy season drainage, the ground in the shed should be 10-15 cm higher than the surrounding ground.

Sandy loam is the best soil for ⑩, which is not easy to agglomerate and is easy to lay eggs and eggs, but it should not be too soft. Locusts have high requirements for oviposition.

Before the introduction of ⑾, wheat, corn, sorghum and other crops should be planted on the ground in the shed to prepare locusts for consumption. It is best to retain or plant some taller plants in the shed as a habitat for locusts to facilitate their molting, Eclosion and so on. At the same time, it can also be used as an isolator to prevent locusts from killing each other.

The area of ⑿ shed depends on the number of locusts. Generally, about 300 adults can be raised per square meter.

Nymph stage management of locusts

① locusts eat very little and like to eat fresh and tender plants. During this period, locusts are very delicate, so we should pay attention to rain protection to prevent them from drowning.

The best ② temperature is 25-30 ℃, the light is more than 12 hours, and the humidity is about 15%. Under this condition, locusts are the most active, like to eat, and are conducive to growth.

The food intake of locusts over three years old of ③ increases gradually, at this time, it is necessary to ensure that there is enough food in the shed, otherwise it will affect its normal growth and will kill each other.

④ keep the shed clean and clean it once every 1-2 days to prevent disease.

The cultivation of locusts may not be particularly common in our country, because many people do not have a comprehensive understanding of its value, so there is still a lot of room for digging in the market for locusts. Breeders can well develop the market demand for locusts.