ES1252189U - Device for the release of pollinating diptera (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for releasing pollinating diptera for use in agriculture, characterized by being composed of a box or container (a), with openings (b) that remain closed until the release device is placed in the crop and with light of sufficient size to allow the exit of pollinators; and provided with a handle in the upper part (c) to be able to hang it and prevent the access of terrestrial predators (such as ants, rodents, lizards, etc.) to the interior of the device. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Device for the release of pollinating diptera

Technical sector

The present invention relates to a pollinating insect release device for use in agriculture; more specifically for the release of dipterans for pollination in all kinds of crops, whether they are seed crops, both horticultural, oilseed, cereal, or ornamental; or in horticultural crops, red fruits or subtropics; both in protected spaces (greenhouses, tunnels, cabins, etc.) and outdoors. Likewise, the device can also be used for the release of biological control agents from agricultural, forestry and gardening pests.

State of the art

Currently, commercially available pollinating insects used in agriculture belong to the order Hymenoptera, family Apidae. These insects, mainly honey bees and bumble bees, are released into crops by placing hives of these species. Hives of different types and sizes are known, developed especially for the implementation of bumblebees, the group of pollinators most used in greenhouse or protected crops. Different patents and utility models describe hives that present innovations to improve survival or to feed pollinators. These devices are specific for social insects that return to their hives in search of shelter or food, and they are not valid for pollinators such as Diptera that are not social and do not re-enter the release devices.

Likewise, various devices for releasing other groups of insects (for example curculionids) for pollination are known. On the other hand, there are different devices - envelopes, boxes or cans - for the release and / or distribution of biological control agents in crops. In some circumstances, diptera caliptera are used as pollinators, and they are released in containers similar to those used for biological control agents: in boxes of different shapes or paper bags, and even in large formats of bulk boxes. All of these devices are generally intended for pollinators and biological control agents that leave the device immediately after being placed and opened in culture. However, they do not meet a series of requirements necessary for pollinators and natural enemies that remain for more than 24 hours in the device once placed in the crop before leaving it, during which it is essential that the necessary conditions are maintained for the survival of insects.

On the other hand, none of the existing devices on the market is suitable for the release of a new group of pollinators: the eristaline hoverflies. These are diptera (flies) belonging to the Syrphidae family, Eristalinae subfamily, Eristalini tribe, which until now had not been industrially produced for commercialization as pollinators.

Explanation of the invention

Therefore, the present invention has the object of providing for the first time a suitable device for the release of eristaline hoverflies as pollination vectors in crops; a device that meets a number of requirements to allow the correct exit of the eristalinus hoverflies from the device once placed in the cultures, and that maximizes their survival until the moment of emergence of the adults.

The problem is solved with a hover release device, an invention that improves the devices known up to now in the market for the release of insects, both pollinators and biological control agents.

In accordance with the device that is being developed, a release device is presented consisting of a box designed for this purpose, especially a parallelepipedic box with enough space to house the desired amount of pollinating insects inside and with a series of openings that they are kept closed until the release device is placed in the crop.

The device is designed for the release of pollinating diptera, especially eristaline syrphids, preferably in the pupal stage of development, a stage in which they are less vulnerable and can remain without feeding while they finish development within the puparium.

The device provides the necessary space so that the content of hovercraft pupae plus the material that is introduced together to absorb shocks and absorb moisture, for example sawdust, does not reach half the height of the box.

To allow the pollinators to escape, the box has pre-cut openings on the front and back of the box, which are easily opened by pressing on them. The openings are large enough to allow the exit of adult hoverflies once they have emerged inside, as well as to provide sufficient lighting for the adult individuals to find their way out of the boxes.

These openings are opened once the boxes are installed in the crop and not before, to prevent the emerged adults from escaping from the boxes before the devices are placed at their destination, and are in the highest part of the front face and rear to prevent pupae from coming out when the open boxes are placed in the culture.

The openings are strategically located on the front and rear face of the box, but not at the top, to prevent water from entering the boxes in the event of rain or the box being exposed to crop irrigation. Also in this way, the interior is protected from excess direct radiation at central hours of the day. In addition, the openings on the front face and the back face are at the same height to facilitate the circulation of air inside the box once opened, and thus prevent moisture condensation and excess temperature inside the box.

The device has a handle in the upper part to be able to hang it on the crops, and thus prevent the access of terrestrial predators such as ants, rodents, lizards, etc., to the contents of the device. The handle also facilitates the placement of the boxes evenly around the enclosures, not being necessary to establish a single release point.

The device is made of biodegradable material, with sufficient consistency so that it does not crush if boxes are stacked on top of each other, and covered with waterproof material, which protects the pupae from fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

Preferably, the boxes are in one piece and can be stored folded, unassembled, to facilitate storage with minimal space requirements.

The pollinating Diptera release device is mainly intended for the release of pollinating Diptera, and especially but not exclusively for Diptera belonging to the Syrphidae family, Eristalinae subfamily, Eristalini tribe ( Erístalis sp, Erístalinus sp, and others), Diptera of the family Calliphoridae ( Lucilia sp., Calliphora sp, Chrysomya sp., Protophormia sp.), and for other groups of pollinating insects, as well as for the release of aphidophagous / predatory diptera (Syrphidae, Muscidae, etc.) used in biological control of pests.

Likewise, the device can be used to release other pollinators belonging to other orders, and other beneficial insects, as biological pest control agents, both for use in agricultural crops, ornamentals, gardens, natural areas, forests, etc. in any of the phases of its biological cycle.

The device is primarily intended for the release of pollinating dipterans in the pupal stage, but could be used for the release of pollinating or beneficial insects at other than pupal stages of development.

Other advantageous configurations and uses of the device are the subject of the dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of a practical embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. where for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1 is a front view of the pollinating dipteran release device, with several openings closed, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a view of the rear of the device, with a single closed opening, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a view of the hanging device, with the pre-cut windows already open, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed exposition of an embodiment of the invention

The device for releasing pollinating diptera, according to a preferred embodiment, is made of biodegradable material, such as Kraft-type cardboard, and its outer part is waterproofed by a plasticized layer. In another embodiment, the surface of the device is covered with paraffin or any other water-repellent material.

The material of the inner face of the device, according to a preferred embodiment, has a somewhat rough texture, not being totally smooth, to prevent insects from slipping inside it when trying to reach the outlet openings.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device can have a handle in the upper part to allow hanging it in the crops, either on a branch of a plant or in some structure of the enclosure or greenhouse, and in this way avoid the access of predators terrestrial (ants, rodents, lizards) to the content of the device. In a preferred embodiment, the handle can be made of the same material as the box, and can be folded over the top of the device when not in use.

According to a preferred embodiment, the pollinator outlet openings are located on the front and back of the box, but not on the upper face, to prevent the entry of rain or irrigation water once they are open, since the water could damage the pupae contained in it, and to protect the interior from excess direct radiation at central hours of the day. The openings are in all cases located in the upper part of both sides, so that the pupal deposit (plus the moisture absorbing material or to cushion blows between pupae) remains in the lower part of the box and thus prevent them from falling out of the box. the box when the device is open.

According to a preferred embodiment, the openings are pre-cut to facilitate their opening simply by pressing on the already pre-cut area. According to other embodiments, the openings can be open and covered by a tab made of Kraft cardboard or of another material that keeps them completely closed until the moment the devices are placed in the culture.

According to a preferred embodiment, there are three openings on the front face, to allow the opening of one, two or three of them at the same time, according to the time of year and climatic conditions that occur in the crop (see Figure 1). In case of very low temperatures or strong winds, it will be advisable to open a minimum number of openings, and in case of high temperatures it is recommended to open all the openings, both front and rear, to facilitate aeration of the box.

On the rear face, according to a preferred embodiment, there is a single elongated opening, to reduce the number of movements necessary to fully open the device (see Figure 2). According to other embodiments, the rear face can have a variable number of openings, in the same way as the front face.

According to a preferred embodiment, the openings of the front face and the rear face are located at the same height on opposite sides of the box to facilitate aeration of the same (see Figure 3).

According to a preferred embodiment, the devices are built in one piece and can be stored folded (unassembled) to facilitate storage with minimal use of space.

Finally, in view of this description and figures, the person skilled in the art will be able to understand that the invention has been described according to a preferred embodiment thereof, but that multiple variations can be introduced in said preferred embodiment, without departing from the object of the invention as claimed.

Claims (6)

1. Device for releasing pollinating dipterans for use in agriculture, characterized by being composed of a box or container (a), with openings (b) that remain closed until the release device is placed in the crop and with light of sufficient size to allow the exit of pollinators; and provided with a handle in the upper part (c) to be able to hang it and prevent the access of terrestrial predators (such as ants, rodents, lizards, etc.) inside the device. 2. Pollinating dipteran release device according to claim 1, wherein the box is characterized by having a parallelepipedic shape in its unfolded shape and having enough space to house the desired amount of pollinating diptera in its interior; preferably made with a biodegradable material such as Kraft cardboard, sufficiently strong to avoid crushing the box during transport, and covered with a water-repellent material such as paraffin or plastic; with openings on the side faces of the front (b) and rear (d) box, and not on the top face to prevent the entry of rain or irrigation water and excess direct solar radiation, and in the upper part of the sides of the box, to prevent the pupae from falling once the outlets are open; with a sufficient interior space so that the content of dipteran pupae plus the material that is introduced together to absorb shocks and absorb moisture does not reach half the height of the box; with somewhat rough material on the inside so that insects do not slip when trying to get out; with the openings initially closed and pre-cut so that they open easily by pressing on them once the devices are in the crop and not before, to avoid that the emerged insects leave the boxes before their time; with the openings in at least two facing sides of the box and at the same height to allow aeration of the same when they are open. Other advantageous configurations and uses of the device are the subject of the dependent claims. 3. Device for releasing pollinating diptera according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a cylindrical shape, closed at the top and bottom, with the exit orifices of the insects preferably distributed in the upper part of the cylinder, pre-cut to be opened once the device is placed in the culture. 4. Device for releasing pollinating diptera according to the previous claims, characterized in that it has any other shape that allows the insects to be contained inside and enables their exit through holes that remain closed until the moment the device is placed in the crop or field. . 5. Pollinating dipteran release device according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it is devoid of a handle. 6. Device for the release of pollinating diptera according to the preceding claims, made of any other material.