CA2399521A1 - Insect rearing tray - Google Patents
Insect rearing tray Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2399521A1 CA2399521A1 CA 2399521 CA2399521A CA2399521A1 CA 2399521 A1 CA2399521 A1 CA 2399521A1 CA 2399521 CA2399521 CA 2399521 CA 2399521 A CA2399521 A CA 2399521A CA 2399521 A1 CA2399521 A1 CA 2399521A1
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- cover member
- base member
- insects
- peripheral wall
- tray
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 241000238631 Hexapoda Species 0.000 title claims abstract description 30
- 230000000384 rearing effect Effects 0.000 title claims abstract description 18
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 14
- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 claims description 14
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 8
- 239000004743 Polypropylene Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000002991 molded plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- -1 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 2
- 229920001155 polypropylene Polymers 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000004793 Polystyrene Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 239000004676 acrylonitrile butadiene styrene Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 229920000122 acrylonitrile butadiene styrene Polymers 0.000 claims 1
- 229920002223 polystyrene Polymers 0.000 claims 1
- 238000011534 incubation Methods 0.000 abstract description 26
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 abstract description 11
- 238000009423 ventilation Methods 0.000 abstract description 10
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 abstract description 6
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 abstract description 5
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 abstract description 5
- 239000004411 aluminium Substances 0.000 abstract description 5
- 238000010348 incorporation Methods 0.000 abstract description 3
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 abstract description 2
- 238000001746 injection moulding Methods 0.000 abstract 1
- 235000017587 Medicago sativa ssp. sativa Nutrition 0.000 description 20
- 241000219823 Medicago Species 0.000 description 19
- 241000257303 Hymenoptera Species 0.000 description 18
- 244000045947 parasite Species 0.000 description 9
- 238000003958 fumigation Methods 0.000 description 6
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 6
- WSFSSNUMVMOOMR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Formaldehyde Chemical compound O=C WSFSSNUMVMOOMR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 5
- OEBRKCOSUFCWJD-UHFFFAOYSA-N dichlorvos Chemical compound COP(=O)(OC)OC=C(Cl)Cl OEBRKCOSUFCWJD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 5
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 description 5
- 241000560540 Megachilidae Species 0.000 description 4
- 229950001327 dichlorvos Drugs 0.000 description 4
- 201000010099 disease Diseases 0.000 description 4
- 208000037265 diseases, disorders, signs and symptoms Diseases 0.000 description 4
- 239000004459 forage Substances 0.000 description 4
- 230000010152 pollination Effects 0.000 description 3
- 241000256837 Apidae Species 0.000 description 2
- 241000894006 Bacteria Species 0.000 description 2
- 241000233866 Fungi Species 0.000 description 2
- 229930040373 Paraformaldehyde Natural products 0.000 description 2
- 240000004808 Saccharomyces cerevisiae Species 0.000 description 2
- 239000011111 cardboard Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000007598 dipping method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 235000013601 eggs Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000002316 fumigant Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000002917 insecticide Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920002866 paraformaldehyde Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 230000019617 pupation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 241000894007 species Species 0.000 description 2
- 241000508723 Festuca rubra Species 0.000 description 1
- 206010020751 Hypersensitivity Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 208000019693 Lung disease Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 240000004658 Medicago sativa Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000201976 Polycarpon Species 0.000 description 1
- 241001665181 Pteromalus venustus Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000219793 Trifolium Species 0.000 description 1
- 238000009341 apiculture Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007844 bleaching agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007613 environmental effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009472 formulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000013569 fungal allergen Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000004209 hair Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 238000003306 harvesting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001418 larval effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002045 lasting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000465 moulding Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001556 precipitation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002035 prolonged effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001954 sterilising effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004659 sterilization and disinfection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K67/00—Rearing or breeding animals, not otherwise provided for; New or modified breeds of animals
- A01K67/033—Rearing or breeding invertebrates; New breeds of invertebrates
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K49/00—Rearing-boxes; Queen transporting or introducing cages
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Animal Husbandry (AREA)
- Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
Abstract
An insect rearing tray is disclosed comprising a base member for containing insects, a cover member for covering the base member and engageable with the base member, providing a container having an upper surface, a lower surface and a peripheral wall, and vent openings in the peripheral wall sized to retain the insects within the container. As the peripheral wall incorporates vent openings, the need for ventilation is met even while trays are stacked for transport. Unlike the case with existing trays, producers can leave the cover member in place during the entire incubation process, as air circulation can occur and the structure is such that parasitoids are not discouraged from exiting the tray. If producers choose to leave the cover member on the incubation tray, the vent openings along the peripheral wall should allow air to pass closer to the surface of the bee cells inside. The preferred incorporation of additional vent openings in the upper surface of the container enables observation of the insects with the cover member in place, especially important when determining sex and quantifying the insects. Finally, removing the need for traditional aluminium mesh screens increases the structural strength, and the ability to solely employ injection-moulding manufacture in providing a ventilated container decreases manufacturing costs.
Description
INSECT REARING TRAY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to insect rearing trays, and more particularly to trays for use in leafcutter bee incubation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Leafcutter bees are employed in the pollination of alfalfa crops. Alfalfa seed can be economically produced wherever environmental conditions are sufficient for alfalfa pollination and growth. The deep-.rooted, long-lived perennial habit of alfalfa allows it to produce good forage and/or seed yields from subsoil moisture even when surface precipitation is low. Production of alfalfa seed during the establishment year is sometimes possible in western Canada, but the normal practice is to take one season to establish a healthy stand and then pollinate and harvest a seed crop the second and following years.
Since the alfalfa leafcutter bee was introduced in the early 1960s, alfalfa seed production in western Canada has been steadily expanding_ Honeybees are an effective pollinator in areas like California, but they do not effectively pollinate alfalfa in western Canada. Across the prairies, alfalfa seed production requires leafcutter bees to pollinate the crop, as this species is the only one that can be relied upon to efficiently and effectively do so. Bumblebees and other native bees will also pollinate alfalfa, but their fluctuating populations make them unreliable for use in alfalfa seed production.
t_eafcutter bees are necessary for optimum seed set of alfalfa and many seed producers keep their own bees. The loose-cell system of leafcutter bee management is widespread across the western Canadian production area. Canadian leafcutter beekeeping was developed around the principle of loose-cell management, _'Z.
as individual cocoons rather than in nest tunnels. Although this management system requires a large financial investment in equipment and demands intensive handling of bees, it is favoured for control of diseases, moulds and parasites since it allows sterilization of nesting material and treatment of cocoons. The system places the optimum number of bees onto the crop at the appropriate time to obtain a high seed yield and an adequate return of viable bees for the following year. This creates a second enterprise in years when a surplus of leafcutter bee larvae is produced;
producers can generate profits from the sate of excess bees that are sometimes equal to the sale of the seed. There is a demand for Canadian leafcutter bee larvae in the United States, since alfalfa seed producers there have difficulty maintaining their bee populations due to disease.
Leafcutter bee cells containing pupae are generally over wintered in temperature controlled cold rooms. In spring, the bee cells are incubated in wood, plastic or cardboard trays until pupation is complete and emergence occurs.
The process of spring incubation of bee cells must be well timed with alfalfa bloom and closely monitored. Males begin emerging first and die soon after mating, followed by the females, which can live for about 60 days. Once female emergence has started, incubation trays are taken to the field and placed into bee shelters containing nests.
Typically, trays are transported during the early morning or late evening when temperatures are lower; care must be taken to prevent prolonged exposure of the newly emerged bees to high temperatures during transport of the trays to the fields.
This can be difficult for producers using existing trays that when stacked directly on top of one another provide no ventilation.
The female finds the tunnel-like nesting site and begins stacking in nest ~s cells until the tunnel is full. Each cell is constructed of about fifteen leaf pieces and capped with two or three larger leafi pieces. When the tunnel is full, the bee caps the tunnel with a solid plug of leaf pieces. The female will continue until she has produced twelve to fifteen cells. The eggs hatch and pupate within a few weeks. To finish the season, nest material is collected and cells are pushed out, tumbled to remove debris and wintered at constant temperature in clear plastic bags.
Following winter storage, cells are placed into trays to a depth of 1.5 to 2.0 inches for spring incubation.
Existing trays are made of wood, plastic or cardboard, the latter inexpensive but useless after two or three seasons. Wood trays are the most common and are usually homemade and reused from season to season; however, the costs of manufacturing and maintaining wood trays can be significant, so plastic trays have been gaining in popularity among producers. Plastic trays are easy to maintain and disinfect, and they can be manufactured of strong, durable material.
One significant disadvantage of existing trays, whether wood or plastic, is the use of aluminium mesh screen on the top surface to provide ventilation and observation means, as the incorporation of such screens increases the production cost white being susceptible to tearing.
Some mould species rnay cause considerable damage to leafcutter bee populations and may also be harmful to the health of alfalfa seed producers.
Producers working in close proximity to bees and cocoons on a regular basis can be exposed to high levels of spores from bee-related fungi. Some of these moulds have been implicated in allergic reactions and bronco-pulmonary disease and are considered major fungal allergens. A number of moulds, yeasts and bacteria are commonly associated with the bees and grow on nest material. on cocoon surfaces 2s (leaf debrisl. pollen balls, adult bees and dead larvae. Methods for controlling moulds heat treatment of nest material, and Para formaldehyde fumigation of nest material.
Chalkbrood disease of leafcutter bees was first identified in American bee populations in the early 1970s and is a major problem in western Canada.
Chalkbrood is now found at economically damaging levels in all major American alfalfa seed-growing areas where leafcutter bees are used for pollination. The disease kills leafcutter bee larvae after they ingest spores ofi the fungus while feeding on pollen. When an adult female feafcutter bee emerges from her cell, she may become dusted with spores, which stick to her body hairs. These spores then become mixed into the pollen balls, which she prepares for the larva before laying her eggs. The young larva eats the pollen ball and ingests chatkbrood spores.
Death generally occurs in the final larval instar before pupation, so dead larvae are usually full-sized. This is a significant problem for producers buying used leafcutter bee nests or other equipment.
Research to develop new technology for controlling moulds, yeasts and bacteria on the surface of alfalfa leafcutter bee cells has led to the discovery of Para formaldehyde as a fumigant, which is highly efficacious in decontaminating the cells.
Fumigation of bee cells for control of chalkbrood and other moulds should occur just prior to their incubation. Cells are placed in incubation trays in a well-sealed fumigation chamber. The trays are placed in racks that will permit air movement between trays and fumigation is carried out. Adult bees will emerge from incubation trays carrying fewer spores. Adequate ventilation in the fumigation chamber and in the incubator is required following fumigation since the bee cells and incubation trays may absorb the fumigant gas and release it during the incubation process to follow.
Ventilation is usually continued during the first five to seven days of incubation to ~S ensure there is no build-up of formaldehyde gas residue. Adequate fresh air intake also be surface sterilized by dipping in a 3% bleach solution for three minutes just prior to incubation. After dipping, the cocoons should be well drained and spread out to dry in a ventilated area away from direck sunlight. Once they are completely dry, the cocoons may be incubated.
The wasp parasite, Pteromalus venustus, is the most common parasite associated with populations of the alfalfa leafcutter bee in western Canada.
For control of these parasites during spring incubation of bee cells, producers may use the insecticide dichlorvos in the resin strip formulation known as Vapona~.
Early treatment with dichlorvos is not recommended and can cause significant bee mortality. Treatment is recommended during days seven to fourteen of the incubation cycle when the parasites typically emerge. Current incubation tray lids have aluminium mesh screens that can restrict parasites from leaving the tray when the lids are not taken off. During the first two weeks, some producers remove the lids from the incubation trays to allow parasite escape and capture them using black lights and water traps at the floor level of the incubation chamber. Use of dichlorvos during incubation can result in higher mortality in developing bee pupae when rates and treatment times are increased. During this process, mortality of bees can also be higher in the top layer of cells in the incubation tray due to increased exposure to the insecticide. Use of dichlorvos in the incubator should be followed by an extended period of ventilation lasting 48-72 hours.
The Canadian forage seed industry holds significant economic value.
The value of forage seed exports averaged $56 million during the years 19901995.
The main exports are timothy, creeping red fescue, alfalfa, clover and Ieafcutter bees.
Trading mainly to the United States, sales are also made regularly to Europe and occasionally to Russia and China. Of all forage seed produced in this $100 million element of maintaining and increasing the strength of alfalfa and teafcutter bee export.
However, as pointed out above, there are numerous problems with existing leafcutter bee management tools. Existing trays incorporate aluminium mesh screens on their upper surface to enable ventilation and observation, but such screen is weak and may discourage parasitoid egress from the tray when lids are left on_ The removal of the tray lid during initial incubation and parasitoid emergence is an option, however some producers choose to leave lids in place, thus risking higher mortality due to parasitoids. Also, the use of screen on the upper surtace does not address the need for air circulation due to heat build-up during transport, as stacking of trays directly on top of each other effectively eliminates any air circulation.
While artificial nests are known in the art, for example United States patents 3,936,894 to Barber and 4,365,372 to Norman, none effectively address the problems canvassed above. Improved ventilation is addressed in the field of observation or mating chambers, far example United States patents 5,158,497 to Rossignol et al. and 5,628,671 to Stevens, but the teaching is inapplicable to the unique requirements of incubation trays.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide an insect rearing tray that provides ventilation while stacked, structural strength, and parasite egress encouragement.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an insect rearing tray comprising:
a base member for containing insects, the base memb~r having an open top;
a cover member for covering the open top of the base member and lower surface and a peripheral wall; and vent openings in the peripheral wall sized to retain the insects within the container.
In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the upper surface also has vent openings sized to retain the insects within the container.
Preferably, the base member and the cover member have corresponding mating means for mating the base member to the cover member, and these mating means are preferably designed to enable the cover member to be mated to another cover member rather than the base member, ifi so desired. The base member and cover member of the present invention are preferably made of injection-moulded plastic, the plastic being one selected from the group consisting of ABS, poiystyrene and polypropylene.
As the peripheral wall incorporates vent openings, the need for ventilation and air circulation is met even while trays are stacked. Also, producers can leave the cover member in place during initial incubation and parasitoid emergence, as the structure is such that parasites are not discouraged from exiting the tray. if producers choose to leave the cover member on the incubation tray, the vent openings along the peripheral wall should allow air to pass closer to the surface of the bee cells inside. The incorporation of vent openings in the upper surface of the container enables observation of the insects with the cover member in place, especially important when determining sex and quantifying emergence of the bees.
Finally, removing the need for aluminium mesh screens increases the structural strength, and the ability to solely employ injection-.moulding manufacture in providing a ventilated container decreases manufacturing costs.
A detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is given in the following. It is to be understood, however, that the invention .8..
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention with the base member mated to the cover member;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view;
Figure 3 is an end elevational view;
Figure 4 is a detailed cross.-sectional view of the mating means along line 4-4 of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a top plan view showing a preferred amsngement of vent openings in the upper surface.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated an exemplary embodiment of the insect rearing tray of the present invention generally referred to by the numeral 10. As can best be seen in Figures 7, 2 and 3 (not in scale to each other), the insect rearing tray 10 is comprised of a base member 12 for containing insects (not shown), the base member 12 having an open top (not shown), a cover member 16 for cowering the open top of the base member 12 and engageable with the base member 12, and vent openings 24. When mated together, the base member 12 and cover member 16 provide a container having an upper surtace 18, a lower surface 20 and a peripheral wall 22. The vent openings 24 in the exemplary embodiment are located on the peripheral wall 22 and upper surface 18.
The insect rearing tray 10 also comprises mating means 2fi, an exemplary embodiment best seen in Figures 1, 4 and 5, for mating the base and cover members 12, 16. Figure 4 provides a detailed cross-sectional view of the the centre line of the insect rearing tray 10 can be seen as an inverse mirror image an-angement. With this arrangement, the cover member 16 can be mated with the base member 12 even when in a reversed position. Also, this arrangement enables the mating of two base members 12 or two cover members 16, if desired.
The utility of the present invention becomes clear in the following situation_ Once the over wintering of the bee cells (not shown) is complete and spring arrives, the bee cells can be emptied into a base member 12. A cover member 16 is then placed on the base member 12 and mated using mating means 26 to provide a container within which the bees can incubate. The cover member 1 fi can be left in place during the entire incubation process if so desired, which commonly lasts a period of 24 days. The use of vent openings 24 in the upper surface 18 and peripheral wall 22 enables observation of the bees for sexing and quantifying emergence. Once female emergence has reached approximately 75%, which commonly occurs around day 23 or 24 of the incubation cycle, the insect rearing tray 10 is then transported to the field for adult bee release. This transport need not be limited to times of day when the temperature is at its lowest, as the vent openings 24 in the peripheral wall 22 allow for increased air cooling of the bees.
While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention and are intended to be included herein. It will be clear to any person skilled in the art that modifications of and adjustments to this invention, not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as demonstrated through the exemplary embodiment. For exampl~, the insect rearing tray 10 could be designed so as to open to the side rather than the top, and various forms of mating means 26 could be used to achieve the same result. The invention is
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to insect rearing trays, and more particularly to trays for use in leafcutter bee incubation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Leafcutter bees are employed in the pollination of alfalfa crops. Alfalfa seed can be economically produced wherever environmental conditions are sufficient for alfalfa pollination and growth. The deep-.rooted, long-lived perennial habit of alfalfa allows it to produce good forage and/or seed yields from subsoil moisture even when surface precipitation is low. Production of alfalfa seed during the establishment year is sometimes possible in western Canada, but the normal practice is to take one season to establish a healthy stand and then pollinate and harvest a seed crop the second and following years.
Since the alfalfa leafcutter bee was introduced in the early 1960s, alfalfa seed production in western Canada has been steadily expanding_ Honeybees are an effective pollinator in areas like California, but they do not effectively pollinate alfalfa in western Canada. Across the prairies, alfalfa seed production requires leafcutter bees to pollinate the crop, as this species is the only one that can be relied upon to efficiently and effectively do so. Bumblebees and other native bees will also pollinate alfalfa, but their fluctuating populations make them unreliable for use in alfalfa seed production.
t_eafcutter bees are necessary for optimum seed set of alfalfa and many seed producers keep their own bees. The loose-cell system of leafcutter bee management is widespread across the western Canadian production area. Canadian leafcutter beekeeping was developed around the principle of loose-cell management, _'Z.
as individual cocoons rather than in nest tunnels. Although this management system requires a large financial investment in equipment and demands intensive handling of bees, it is favoured for control of diseases, moulds and parasites since it allows sterilization of nesting material and treatment of cocoons. The system places the optimum number of bees onto the crop at the appropriate time to obtain a high seed yield and an adequate return of viable bees for the following year. This creates a second enterprise in years when a surplus of leafcutter bee larvae is produced;
producers can generate profits from the sate of excess bees that are sometimes equal to the sale of the seed. There is a demand for Canadian leafcutter bee larvae in the United States, since alfalfa seed producers there have difficulty maintaining their bee populations due to disease.
Leafcutter bee cells containing pupae are generally over wintered in temperature controlled cold rooms. In spring, the bee cells are incubated in wood, plastic or cardboard trays until pupation is complete and emergence occurs.
The process of spring incubation of bee cells must be well timed with alfalfa bloom and closely monitored. Males begin emerging first and die soon after mating, followed by the females, which can live for about 60 days. Once female emergence has started, incubation trays are taken to the field and placed into bee shelters containing nests.
Typically, trays are transported during the early morning or late evening when temperatures are lower; care must be taken to prevent prolonged exposure of the newly emerged bees to high temperatures during transport of the trays to the fields.
This can be difficult for producers using existing trays that when stacked directly on top of one another provide no ventilation.
The female finds the tunnel-like nesting site and begins stacking in nest ~s cells until the tunnel is full. Each cell is constructed of about fifteen leaf pieces and capped with two or three larger leafi pieces. When the tunnel is full, the bee caps the tunnel with a solid plug of leaf pieces. The female will continue until she has produced twelve to fifteen cells. The eggs hatch and pupate within a few weeks. To finish the season, nest material is collected and cells are pushed out, tumbled to remove debris and wintered at constant temperature in clear plastic bags.
Following winter storage, cells are placed into trays to a depth of 1.5 to 2.0 inches for spring incubation.
Existing trays are made of wood, plastic or cardboard, the latter inexpensive but useless after two or three seasons. Wood trays are the most common and are usually homemade and reused from season to season; however, the costs of manufacturing and maintaining wood trays can be significant, so plastic trays have been gaining in popularity among producers. Plastic trays are easy to maintain and disinfect, and they can be manufactured of strong, durable material.
One significant disadvantage of existing trays, whether wood or plastic, is the use of aluminium mesh screen on the top surface to provide ventilation and observation means, as the incorporation of such screens increases the production cost white being susceptible to tearing.
Some mould species rnay cause considerable damage to leafcutter bee populations and may also be harmful to the health of alfalfa seed producers.
Producers working in close proximity to bees and cocoons on a regular basis can be exposed to high levels of spores from bee-related fungi. Some of these moulds have been implicated in allergic reactions and bronco-pulmonary disease and are considered major fungal allergens. A number of moulds, yeasts and bacteria are commonly associated with the bees and grow on nest material. on cocoon surfaces 2s (leaf debrisl. pollen balls, adult bees and dead larvae. Methods for controlling moulds heat treatment of nest material, and Para formaldehyde fumigation of nest material.
Chalkbrood disease of leafcutter bees was first identified in American bee populations in the early 1970s and is a major problem in western Canada.
Chalkbrood is now found at economically damaging levels in all major American alfalfa seed-growing areas where leafcutter bees are used for pollination. The disease kills leafcutter bee larvae after they ingest spores ofi the fungus while feeding on pollen. When an adult female feafcutter bee emerges from her cell, she may become dusted with spores, which stick to her body hairs. These spores then become mixed into the pollen balls, which she prepares for the larva before laying her eggs. The young larva eats the pollen ball and ingests chatkbrood spores.
Death generally occurs in the final larval instar before pupation, so dead larvae are usually full-sized. This is a significant problem for producers buying used leafcutter bee nests or other equipment.
Research to develop new technology for controlling moulds, yeasts and bacteria on the surface of alfalfa leafcutter bee cells has led to the discovery of Para formaldehyde as a fumigant, which is highly efficacious in decontaminating the cells.
Fumigation of bee cells for control of chalkbrood and other moulds should occur just prior to their incubation. Cells are placed in incubation trays in a well-sealed fumigation chamber. The trays are placed in racks that will permit air movement between trays and fumigation is carried out. Adult bees will emerge from incubation trays carrying fewer spores. Adequate ventilation in the fumigation chamber and in the incubator is required following fumigation since the bee cells and incubation trays may absorb the fumigant gas and release it during the incubation process to follow.
Ventilation is usually continued during the first five to seven days of incubation to ~S ensure there is no build-up of formaldehyde gas residue. Adequate fresh air intake also be surface sterilized by dipping in a 3% bleach solution for three minutes just prior to incubation. After dipping, the cocoons should be well drained and spread out to dry in a ventilated area away from direck sunlight. Once they are completely dry, the cocoons may be incubated.
The wasp parasite, Pteromalus venustus, is the most common parasite associated with populations of the alfalfa leafcutter bee in western Canada.
For control of these parasites during spring incubation of bee cells, producers may use the insecticide dichlorvos in the resin strip formulation known as Vapona~.
Early treatment with dichlorvos is not recommended and can cause significant bee mortality. Treatment is recommended during days seven to fourteen of the incubation cycle when the parasites typically emerge. Current incubation tray lids have aluminium mesh screens that can restrict parasites from leaving the tray when the lids are not taken off. During the first two weeks, some producers remove the lids from the incubation trays to allow parasite escape and capture them using black lights and water traps at the floor level of the incubation chamber. Use of dichlorvos during incubation can result in higher mortality in developing bee pupae when rates and treatment times are increased. During this process, mortality of bees can also be higher in the top layer of cells in the incubation tray due to increased exposure to the insecticide. Use of dichlorvos in the incubator should be followed by an extended period of ventilation lasting 48-72 hours.
The Canadian forage seed industry holds significant economic value.
The value of forage seed exports averaged $56 million during the years 19901995.
The main exports are timothy, creeping red fescue, alfalfa, clover and Ieafcutter bees.
Trading mainly to the United States, sales are also made regularly to Europe and occasionally to Russia and China. Of all forage seed produced in this $100 million element of maintaining and increasing the strength of alfalfa and teafcutter bee export.
However, as pointed out above, there are numerous problems with existing leafcutter bee management tools. Existing trays incorporate aluminium mesh screens on their upper surface to enable ventilation and observation, but such screen is weak and may discourage parasitoid egress from the tray when lids are left on_ The removal of the tray lid during initial incubation and parasitoid emergence is an option, however some producers choose to leave lids in place, thus risking higher mortality due to parasitoids. Also, the use of screen on the upper surtace does not address the need for air circulation due to heat build-up during transport, as stacking of trays directly on top of each other effectively eliminates any air circulation.
While artificial nests are known in the art, for example United States patents 3,936,894 to Barber and 4,365,372 to Norman, none effectively address the problems canvassed above. Improved ventilation is addressed in the field of observation or mating chambers, far example United States patents 5,158,497 to Rossignol et al. and 5,628,671 to Stevens, but the teaching is inapplicable to the unique requirements of incubation trays.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide an insect rearing tray that provides ventilation while stacked, structural strength, and parasite egress encouragement.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an insect rearing tray comprising:
a base member for containing insects, the base memb~r having an open top;
a cover member for covering the open top of the base member and lower surface and a peripheral wall; and vent openings in the peripheral wall sized to retain the insects within the container.
In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the upper surface also has vent openings sized to retain the insects within the container.
Preferably, the base member and the cover member have corresponding mating means for mating the base member to the cover member, and these mating means are preferably designed to enable the cover member to be mated to another cover member rather than the base member, ifi so desired. The base member and cover member of the present invention are preferably made of injection-moulded plastic, the plastic being one selected from the group consisting of ABS, poiystyrene and polypropylene.
As the peripheral wall incorporates vent openings, the need for ventilation and air circulation is met even while trays are stacked. Also, producers can leave the cover member in place during initial incubation and parasitoid emergence, as the structure is such that parasites are not discouraged from exiting the tray. if producers choose to leave the cover member on the incubation tray, the vent openings along the peripheral wall should allow air to pass closer to the surface of the bee cells inside. The incorporation of vent openings in the upper surface of the container enables observation of the insects with the cover member in place, especially important when determining sex and quantifying emergence of the bees.
Finally, removing the need for aluminium mesh screens increases the structural strength, and the ability to solely employ injection-.moulding manufacture in providing a ventilated container decreases manufacturing costs.
A detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is given in the following. It is to be understood, however, that the invention .8..
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention with the base member mated to the cover member;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view;
Figure 3 is an end elevational view;
Figure 4 is a detailed cross.-sectional view of the mating means along line 4-4 of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a top plan view showing a preferred amsngement of vent openings in the upper surface.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated an exemplary embodiment of the insect rearing tray of the present invention generally referred to by the numeral 10. As can best be seen in Figures 7, 2 and 3 (not in scale to each other), the insect rearing tray 10 is comprised of a base member 12 for containing insects (not shown), the base member 12 having an open top (not shown), a cover member 16 for cowering the open top of the base member 12 and engageable with the base member 12, and vent openings 24. When mated together, the base member 12 and cover member 16 provide a container having an upper surtace 18, a lower surface 20 and a peripheral wall 22. The vent openings 24 in the exemplary embodiment are located on the peripheral wall 22 and upper surface 18.
The insect rearing tray 10 also comprises mating means 2fi, an exemplary embodiment best seen in Figures 1, 4 and 5, for mating the base and cover members 12, 16. Figure 4 provides a detailed cross-sectional view of the the centre line of the insect rearing tray 10 can be seen as an inverse mirror image an-angement. With this arrangement, the cover member 16 can be mated with the base member 12 even when in a reversed position. Also, this arrangement enables the mating of two base members 12 or two cover members 16, if desired.
The utility of the present invention becomes clear in the following situation_ Once the over wintering of the bee cells (not shown) is complete and spring arrives, the bee cells can be emptied into a base member 12. A cover member 16 is then placed on the base member 12 and mated using mating means 26 to provide a container within which the bees can incubate. The cover member 1 fi can be left in place during the entire incubation process if so desired, which commonly lasts a period of 24 days. The use of vent openings 24 in the upper surface 18 and peripheral wall 22 enables observation of the bees for sexing and quantifying emergence. Once female emergence has reached approximately 75%, which commonly occurs around day 23 or 24 of the incubation cycle, the insect rearing tray 10 is then transported to the field for adult bee release. This transport need not be limited to times of day when the temperature is at its lowest, as the vent openings 24 in the peripheral wall 22 allow for increased air cooling of the bees.
While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention and are intended to be included herein. It will be clear to any person skilled in the art that modifications of and adjustments to this invention, not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention as demonstrated through the exemplary embodiment. For exampl~, the insect rearing tray 10 could be designed so as to open to the side rather than the top, and various forms of mating means 26 could be used to achieve the same result. The invention is
Claims (6)
- EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS
CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
9. An insect rearing tray comprising:
a base member for containing insects, the base member having an open top;
a cover member for covering the open top of the base member and engageable with the base member, providing a container having an upper surface, a lower surface and a peripheral wall; and vent openings in the peripheral wall sized to retain the insects within the container. - 2. The insect rearing tray of Claim 1 wherein the upper surface has vent openings sized to retain the insects within the container.
- 3. The insect rearing tray of Claim 1 or 2 wherein the base member and the cover member have corresponding mating means for mating the base member to the cover member.
- 4. The insect rearing tray of Claim 3 wherein the mating means enable the cover member to be mated to another cover member rather than the base member.
- 5. The insect rearing tray of Claim 1 or 2 wherein the base member and the cover member are made of injection-moulded plastic.
- 6. The insect rearing tray of Claim 5 wherein the plastic is one selected from the group consisting of ABS, polystyrene and polypropylene.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2399521 CA2399521A1 (en) | 2002-08-22 | 2002-08-22 | Insect rearing tray |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2399521 CA2399521A1 (en) | 2002-08-22 | 2002-08-22 | Insect rearing tray |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2399521A1 true CA2399521A1 (en) | 2004-02-22 |
Family
ID=31983595
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2399521 Abandoned CA2399521A1 (en) | 2002-08-22 | 2002-08-22 | Insect rearing tray |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2399521A1 (en) |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN106719449A (en) * | 2016-12-07 | 2017-05-31 | 广东省生物资源应用研究所 | Multipoint adjustable parasitic wasp artificial eggs blocking card machine |
| CN109287572A (en) * | 2018-09-28 | 2019-02-01 | 陈雅丝 | A kind of insect life observation case being equipped with baby spot |
| CN109463355A (en) * | 2018-09-28 | 2019-03-15 | 陈雅丝 | A kind of observation control method for the insect life observation case being equipped with baby spot |
| WO2019125164A1 (en) * | 2017-12-22 | 2019-06-27 | Protix B.V. | Insect tray with cover, rack for said tray, use of an assembly of said rack with at least one tray |
| CN110537526A (en) * | 2019-09-29 | 2019-12-06 | 福建农林大学 | Ectropis obliqua larva and parasitic wasp feeding experimental system and implementation method thereof |
| EP3772275A1 (en) * | 2019-08-06 | 2021-02-10 | Alternative Gene Expression S.L. | Container for transporting and inoculating pupae |
-
2002
- 2002-08-22 CA CA 2399521 patent/CA2399521A1/en not_active Abandoned
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN106719449A (en) * | 2016-12-07 | 2017-05-31 | 广东省生物资源应用研究所 | Multipoint adjustable parasitic wasp artificial eggs blocking card machine |
| CN106719449B (en) * | 2016-12-07 | 2020-03-13 | 广东省生物资源应用研究所 | Multi-point adjustable parasitic bee artificial egg card making machine |
| WO2019125164A1 (en) * | 2017-12-22 | 2019-06-27 | Protix B.V. | Insect tray with cover, rack for said tray, use of an assembly of said rack with at least one tray |
| NL2020155B1 (en) * | 2017-12-22 | 2019-07-04 | Protix Bv | Insect tray with cover, rack for said tray, use of an assembly of said rack with at least one tray |
| CN111787794A (en) * | 2017-12-22 | 2020-10-16 | 普罗提克斯公司 | Insect tray with cover, holder for said tray, use of an assembly of said holder with at least one tray |
| US12004496B2 (en) | 2017-12-22 | 2024-06-11 | Protix B.V. | Insect tray with cover, rack for said tray, use of an assembly of said rack with at least one tray |
| CN109463355A (en) * | 2018-09-28 | 2019-03-15 | 陈雅丝 | A kind of observation control method for the insect life observation case being equipped with baby spot |
| CN109287572A (en) * | 2018-09-28 | 2019-02-01 | 陈雅丝 | A kind of insect life observation case being equipped with baby spot |
| CN109287572B (en) * | 2018-09-28 | 2021-12-03 | 台州康苑生物科技有限公司 | Install insect life observation box of small-size spotlight |
| EP3772275A1 (en) * | 2019-08-06 | 2021-02-10 | Alternative Gene Expression S.L. | Container for transporting and inoculating pupae |
| WO2021023446A1 (en) * | 2019-08-06 | 2021-02-11 | Alternative Gene Expression S.L. | Container for transporting and inoculating pupae |
| CN114531842A (en) * | 2019-08-06 | 2022-05-24 | 替代基因表达公司 | Container for transporting and inoculating pupa |
| CN114531842B (en) * | 2019-08-06 | 2024-07-09 | 替代基因表达公司 | Container for transporting and inoculating pupae |
| CN110537526A (en) * | 2019-09-29 | 2019-12-06 | 福建农林大学 | Ectropis obliqua larva and parasitic wasp feeding experimental system and implementation method thereof |
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