WO2021130517A1

WO2021130517A1 - Breeding cage, system and methods for breeding insects

Info

Publication number: WO2021130517A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/061277
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kieron James DUNN; Jacobus Adriaan KOTZE; Cameron Spencer RICHARDS
Original assignee: Insect Technology Group Research Uk Limited; Van Der Walt, Louis Stephanus
Priority date: 2019-12-23
Filing date: 2019-12-23
Publication date: 2021-07-01

Abstract

A breeding cage 10 and method for facilitating mating of black soldier fly (BSF) and ovipositioning of eggs laid by adult female BSF. The breeding cage comprises a substantially solid plastics cylindrical, transparent, open-ended side wall 12, and first and second end caps 18, 20 for closing off the ends of the side wall so as to define an internal chamber 22 within which BSF are held. The breeding cage has a relatively lighter mating region illuminated by a lamp, adjacent the first end cap 18 and a relatively darker oviposition region adjacent the second end cap 20. The second end cap has a removable oviposition tray mounted thereto on which adult female BSF eggs are oviposited. The invention extends to a breeding system including the breeding cage and a ventilation system for ventilating the internal chamber with ambient air. The breeding system includes a number of breeding cages arranged in substantially horizontal stacked configuration.

Description

BREEDING CAGE, SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR BREEDING INSECTS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a breeding cage, system and methods for breeding insects. More specifically, the invention relates to a breeding cage for facilitating mating of insects and ovipositioning of insect eggs of a variety of potentially useful insect species such as, but not necessarily limited to, the black soldier fly (BSF). The invention relates also to a breeding system including the breeding cage. The invention relates further to methods for facilitating mating of insects and ovipositioning of insect eggs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a breeding cage for breeding insects, including: a tubular, substantially solid side wall having a first end and a second end; a first end cap for closing off the first end of the side wall; a second end cap for closing off the second end of the side wall, the side wall and the end caps defining an internal chamber in which insects are held, at least one of the first and second end caps being removable in order to provide access to the internal chamber, the breeding cage having a mating region in the internal chamber adjacent the first end cap, configured for receiving insect prepupae, pupae or adult insects for mating, the mating region being illuminated so as to discourage laying of eggs in the mating region; and the breeding cage having an oviposition region in the internal chamber adjacent the second end cap, including at least one removable oviposition tray on which insect eggs are oviposited.

At least a portion of the side wall of the breeding cage surrounding the mating region may be transparent or translucent in order to permit ambient light to pass therethrough into the mating region of the breeding cage.

The mating region may be relatively lighter than the oviposition region. More specifically, in order to provide for contrasting lighter mating and darker oviposition regions in the breeding cage, a portion of the side wall and/or the second end cap of the breeding cage defining the oviposition region, may be shrouded or wrapped in a tinted film. Alternatively, the Applicant envisages that the side wall may be coated with a relatively darker material such as a paint which is applied to the end cap and/or the side wall of the breeding cage.

The oviposition tray may define an oviposition side on which eggs are oviposited by adult female insects.

The second end cap may include an oviposition tray mounting formation defining an oviposition compartment within which the oviposition tray is located in an arrangement wherein the oviposition side of the oviposition tray faces the internal chamber, the oviposition tray mounting formation defining an access opening at an external side of the second end cap through which the oviposition tray can be inserted into and removed from the oviposition compartment, the second end cap further defining a window at an internal side of the second end cap through which adult female insects can access the oviposition tray from the internal chamber of the breeding cage in order to lay eggs on the oviposition tray.

The side wall of the breeding cage may have a cylindrical configuration.

The breeding cage may include at least one lamp for illuminating the mating region.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a breeding system for breeding insects, including a breeding cage in accordance with the first aspect of the invention as defined hereinabove; and a ventilation system for generating an air flow in the internal chamber of the breeding cage for ventilating the internal chamber.

The breeding system may include air flow conditioning means for conditioning the air flow by controlling one or more of a temperature of the air flow, a flow rate of the air flow, a moisture content of the air flow or by introducing one or more substances into the air flow.

The ventilation system may be operable to generate an air flow in the internal chamber of the breeding cage in a direction from the second end cap towards the first end cap of the breeding cage and wherein the air flow conditioning means is operable to introduce an attractant substance for attracting adult female insects to the oviposition region for laying eggs in the oviposition region, the attractant substance being introduced into the oviposition compartment and entrained in the air flow within the internal chamber of the breeding cage so as to carry the attractant substance from the oviposition region to the mating region.

The breeding system may include a support structure for supporting the breeding cage in a generally horizontal orientation.

The support structure may be configured for supporting the breeding cage at an inclined angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 15° relative to a horizontal reference plane, in order to promote displacement of frass and leachate from one end of the breeding cage towards the other end in order to facilitate cleaning of the breeding cage. More specifically, the inclined angle of the breeding cage relative to a horizontal reference plane, may be between 1 ° and 10°. Yet more specifically, the inclined angle of the breeding cage relative to a horizontal reference plane, may be between 2.5° and 5°.

The breeding system may include a number of the breeding cages arranged in a stacked configuration.

The ventilation system may be connected to each of the breeding cages in the stack so as to provide a common conditioned air flow through the breeding cages in the stack.

The breeding system may include an attractant distribution system which is connected to each of the breeding cages for providing a common supply of attractant to the oviposition compartments of the breeding cages.

Each breeding cage may include at least one light source for illuminating the mating region.

The breeding system may include one or more light sources which are located at a spaced location from the breeding cages for illuminating the mating region of one or more of the breeding cages. The breeding system may be configured for facilitating mating of black soldier fly and ovipositioning of black soldier fly eggs.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of constructing the breeding cage claimed in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, which includes: providing a flat sheet of a bendable material; folding the flat sheet so as to form an open-ended cylinder having first and second ends; securing folded-over ends of the cylinder to one another; locating one or more retaining rings over the cylinder in order to maintain the cylindrical folded-over configuration of the sheet; sealingly mounting a first end cap to the first end of the cylinder for closing off the first end; and sealingly mounting a second end cap to the second end of the cylinder for closing off the second end.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of breeding insects, including: providing a breeding cage for holding insects, the breeding cage having a tubular breeding cage defining an internal chamber having a relatively lighter mating region within the internal chamber and a relatively darker oviposition region within the internal chamber which is spaced from the mating region; providing at least one removable oviposition tray in the oviposition region of the internal chamber of the breeding cage; introducing prepupae, pupae and/or adult insects into the mating region of the internal chamber of the breeding cage; allowing adult female insects to travel to the oviposition region of the internal chamber to lay eggs on the oviposition tray; and removing the oviposition tray from the internal chamber after eggs have been laid on the oviposition tray.

The method may include supporting the breeding cage at an inclined orientation greater than 0° and less than or equal to 15° relative to a horizontal reference plane. More specifically, the inclined angle of the breeding cage relative to a horizontal reference plane, may be between 1 ° and 10°. Yet more specifically, the inclined angle of the breeding cage relative to a horizontal reference plane, may be between 2.5° and 5°.

The method may include generating an air flow through the internal chamber of the breeding cage for ventilating the internal chamber.

The method may include conditioning the air flow by controlling one or more of a temperature of the air flow, a flow rate of the air flow, a moisture content of the air flow or by introducing one or more substances into the air flow.

The method may include generating an air flow in the internal chamber of the breeding cage in a direction from the second end of the breeding cage towards the first end of the housing and introducing an attractant substance into the air flow for attracting adult female insects to the oviposition region for laying eggs in the oviposition region, the attractant substance being introduced into the oviposition region and entrained in the air flow within the internal chamber of the breeding cage so as to convey the attractant substance from the oviposition region to the mating region. The method may include stacking the breeding cages relative to one another in a stacked configuration.

The method may include providing a common conditioned air flow through the breeding cages in the stack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of the invention are described hereinafter by way of a non-limiting example of the invention, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a breeding cage for holding insects, in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a side view of the breeding cage of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows an exploded three-dimensional view of the breeding cage of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 shows a three-dimensional view of the breeding cage of Figure 1 , illustrating the distribution of light emitted by the lamp of the breeding cage;

Figure 5 shows a first end view of the breeding cage of Figure 1 ;

Figure 6 shows a second end view of the breeding cage of Figure 1 ;

Figure 7 shows a three-dimensional view of the second end cap as seen from an external side thereof; Figure 8 shows an external end view of the second end cap with a portion of an egg tray visible;

Figure 9 shows an internal end view of the second end cap shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 shows a side view of the second end cap of the breeding cage of Figure 1 , showing the oviposition compartment thereof within which an oviposition tray is locatable;

Figure 11 shows a side view of the second end cap of the breeding cage of Figure 1 , showing an oviposition tray located in the oviposition compartment thereof;

Figure 12 shows enlarged detail A of Figure 11 ;

Figures 13A to 13F illustrate, in sequence, a method of constructing the breeding cage of Figure 1 ;

Figure 14 shows a three-dimensional view of a breeding system for breeding insects in accordance with the invention, illustrating a number of the breeding cages of Figure 1 supported in a stacked configuration on a stand;

Figure 15 shows another three-dimensional view of the breeding system of Figure 14 as seen from an opposite end of the stack of breeding cages;

Figure 16 shows a first end view of the breeding system of Figure 14;

Figure 17 shows a second end view of the breeding system of Figure 14;

Figure 18 shows a three-dimensional view of an attractant distribution system for introducing an attractant substance into the breeding cages of the breeding system shown in Figure 14; Figure 19 shows detail B of Figure 18; and

Figure 20 shows a side view of the attractant distribution system of the breeding system of Figure 14, illustrating the flow direction of the attractant along the attractant distribution system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the drawings, a breeding cage and a breeding system including the breeding cage, in accordance with the invention, are described hereinafter. The breeding cage and the breeding system are configured for facilitating mating of black soldier fly (BSF) and ovipositioning of eggs laid by adult female BSF.

In the drawings, a breeding cage for breeding BSF is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The breeding cage 10 comprises a substantially solid cylindrical transparent side wall 12 having a first end 14 and a second end 16; a first end cap 14 18 for closing off the first end of the side wall; and a second end cap 20 for closing off the second end of the side wall. The side wall 12 and the end caps 18 and 20 define an internal chamber 22 within which BSF are held. The end caps 18, 20 are removably secured within opposite open ends of the side wall in an arrangement wherein removal of the end caps allows access to the internal chamber of the breeding cage.

The side wall of the breeding cage has a cylindrical configuration so as not to define edged regions which may provide suitable locations for ovipositioning of eggs by adult female BSF. The rounded side wall also assists with cleaning of the breeding cages by not providing corners which may be difficult to clean.

The breeding cage has a construction preventing escape of BSF from the internal chamber 22. The side wall may comprise a sheet of solid plastics material. More specifically, the sheet is preferably of poly (methyl methacrylate). The end caps 18, 20 are sealingly located with respect to the ends 14 and 16, respectively, of the side wall by means of seals 24. Metal retaining rings 26 are mounted near opposite ends of the side wall 12 so as to maintain the cylindrical shape of the side wall.

The breeding cage has a relatively lighter mating region (MR) in the internal chamber 22 adjacent the first end cap and a relatively darker oviposition region (OR) in the internal chamber adjacent the second end cap. More specifically, in order to provide for contrasting lighter mating and darker oviposition regions in the breeding cage, a portion of the side wall and/or the second end cap of the breeding cage defining the oviposition region, may be shrouded or wrapped in a tinted film. Alternatively, the Applicant envisages that the side wall may be coated with a relatively darker material such as a paint which is applied to the end cap and/or the side wall of the breeding cage.

The breeding cage includes a light-emitting diode (LED) lamp 28 mounted to an outer upper side of the side wall 12 for illuminating the mating region so as to discourage the laying of eggs in the mating region and also for providing for the abovementioned contrasting relatively lighter mating and relatively darker oviposition regions. It has been found by the Applicant that illumination of the mating region also encourages mating of adult BSF. With reference to Figure 4 of the drawings, broken lines L illustrate the distribution of light emitted by the lamp 28 within the internal chamber 22. It will be appreciated that the lamp may be positioned at a location spaced from the breeding cage, wherein light from the lamp illuminates the mating region of the breeding cage. For example, the lamp may be mounted to a roof structure of a room in a building in which the breeding cage is located, in an arrangement wherein light emitted by the lamp passes through the transparent wall of the breeding cage, illuminating the mating region.

The mating region is configured for receiving BSF prepupae via an access opening 30 defined in the first end cap 18, which is closable by means of a closure 32. The prepupae are deposited onto an inner lower side of the side wall 12 in the internal compartment which, over a period of time, develop into pupae and eventually emerge as adult BSF and proceed to mate in the mating region of the breeding cage.

The first end cap 18 includes a ventilation port 34 which defines a ventilation opening 36 near an operative upper side of the end cap, which is covered by a fine foraminous mesh 38 preventing the escape of BSF through the ventilation opening. In another embodiment of the invention, the ventilation opening may be covered by a sheet of reticulated foam material.

The second end cap 20 includes a ventilation port 40 near an operative lower end of the end cap, the ventilation port 40 defining a ventilation opening 42 covered by a fine foraminous mesh 44 preventing the escape of BSF therethrough.

The breeding cage 10 includes a removable oviposition tray on which BSF eggs are laid by adult female BSF. More specifically, the oviposition tray 46 defines an oviposition side which faces inwardly into the internal chamber of the breeding cage on which eggs are oviposited by adult female BSF. The oviposition side of the oviposition tray typically has a textured surface encouraging eggs to be laid thereon although the configuration of the oviposition tray is not the subject of the present application.

The second end cap includes an oviposition tray mounting formation 50 defining an oviposition compartment 52 within which the oviposition tray 46 is slidably received. The oviposition tray mounting formation 50 defines an access slot at an external side of the second end cap through which the oviposition tray 46 can be inserted and removed from the oviposition compartment.

In Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, the oviposition tray 46 is shown in a position wherein it is partially received within the oviposition compartment.

The second end cap 20 defines a frusto-conical housing 56 at an external side of the end cap, which extends rearwardly from the oviposition compartment and which terminates in a connection port 58, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. The connection port 58 has an opening 60 at a base thereof which is covered by a foraminous fine mesh 62 in order to prevent the escape of BSF therethrough.

With reference to Figures 13A to 13F, a method of constructing the breeding cage 10, in accordance with the invention, is described hereinafter. The cylindrical side wall of the breeding cage is provided in the form of a flat sheet (Figure 13A) of poly (methyl methacrylate). In another embodiment, the cylindrical side wall may be provided in the form of a polycarbonate sheet. The flat sheet is folded over (Figure 13B) so as to form an open-ended cylinder having first and second ends 14, 16, respectively. The folded- over ends are secured to one another by means of a aluminium Fl-section profile 61 which defines back-to-back slots 62 within which folded-over end regions of the sheet are received. A strap 64 is looped around the cylinder and secured in place in order to maintain the cylindrical shape of the cylinder. Thereafter, the metal retaining rings 26 are placed around the cylinder in order to retain the cylindrical shape thereof. The metal rings have complementary lugs defining holes within which bolts are secured for securing the reinforcing rings in place around the cylinder. Finally, the seals 24 and the end caps 18, 20 are removably secured to the ends 14, 16, respectively, of the cylindrical side wall 12.

With reference to Figures 14 to 20, a breeding system for breeding BSF in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 100. The breeding system 100 includes a number of the breeding cages 10 mounted to one another in a stacked configuration. More specifically, the breeding system includes a stand 102 including a number of racks within which the individual breeding cages 10 are located in three parallel rows of four breeding cages. It will be appreciated that the breeding system may include differing numbers of breeding cages 10 arranged in differing numbers of rows depending on the specific output requirements of the breeding system 100. The breeding cages 10 are arranged on the stand 102 such that the first end caps 18 are arranged adjacent one another at one end of the stand while the second end caps 20 are arranged adjacent one another at an opposite end of the stand. The breeding system 100 includes a ventilation system designated generally by the reference numeral 104. The ventilation system includes an extractor fan 106 which is mounted at an upper end of a columnar plenum 108 which is located adjacent the first end caps 18 of the breeding cages 10. The ventilation system includes a number of flexible foil ducting pipes which are connected between the plenum 108 and the ventilation ports 34 of each of the end caps 18 in order to apply a suction to the internal chamber of each of the breeding cages thereby to generate an air flow within the internal chambers of the breeding cages. Ambient air enters through the ventilation openings 42 of the ventilation ports 40 of the second end caps 20 and is drawn through the internal chamber and up to the ventilation port 34 of the first end cap from which the air is extracted via the extractor fan 106. The internal chambers of the breeding cages are kept ventilated by the air flow generated by the extractor fan. In Figure 16 of the drawings, the direction of ventilation air flow through the plenum 108 and via the ventilation ports 34 of the individual breeding cages, is illustrated by means of arrows.

The breeding system 100 includes an attractant feeder system designated generally by the reference numeral 112. With specific reference to Figures 18 to 20 of the drawings, the attractant feeder system includes a reservoir 113 containing an attractant substance for attracting adult female BSF from the mating region to the oviposition region of each breeding cage 10 in order to encourage laying of eggs on the oviposition trays 46 located on the second end caps of the breeding cages. Attractant substances suitable for this purpose are well known in the art. The attractant feeder system includes a pump 114 which is connected to the attractant reservoir 113 and a distribution network 116 of pipes leading to each of the breeding cages 10. More specifically, the distribution network 116 includes a number of connection nozzles 118 which are connected to the connection ports 58 of each of the breeding cages 10. The pump 114 is operable to pump the attractant from the reservoir 113 along the distribution network to each of the breeding cages. The attractant enters each breeding cage via the connection port 58, travels through the oviposition compartment and into the internal chamber where the attractant is entrained in the air flow generated within the internal chamber by the extractor fan 106 of the ventilation system 104. As such, the attractant is conveyed by the air flow in the internal chamber from the oviposition region towards the mating region. In use, adult female BSF are attracted by the attractant to travel towards the source of the attractant in the oviposition region and lay eggs on the oviposition tray 46. Direction indicator arrows in Figures 19 and 20 illustrate the flow direction of the attractant from the reservoir 113 along the pipes of the distribution network to the nozzles 118.

It will be appreciated that the breeding system may include additional air conditioning systems for controlling one or more characteristics of the air flow such as the temperature of the air flow and the moisture content of the air flow. It is envisaged that the air conditioned by such additional air conditioning systems may be ambient air.

Each of the breeding cages 10 is supported on the stand 102 at an inclined angle of between 2.5° and 5° relative to a horizontal reference plane in order to promote displacement of frass and leachate from one end of the breeding cage towards the other end thereof in order to facilitate cleaning of the breeding cage.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A breeding cage for breeding insects, including: a tubular, substantially solid side wall having a first end and a second end; a first end cap for closing off the first end of the side wall; a second end cap for closing off the second end of the side wall, the side wall and the end caps defining an internal chamber in which insects are held, at least one of the first and second end caps being removable in order to provide access to the internal chamber, the breeding cage having a mating region in the internal chamber adjacent the first end cap, configured for receiving insect prepupae, pupae or adult insects for mating, the mating region being illuminated so as to discourage laying of eggs in the mating region; and the breeding cage having an oviposition region in the internal chamber adjacent the second end cap, including at least one removable oviposition tray on which insect eggs are oviposited.

2. The breeding cage as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the side wall of the breeding cage surrounding the mating region is transparent or translucent in order to permit ambient light to pass therethrough into the mating region of the breeding cage.

3. The breeding cage as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the mating region is relatively lighter than the oviposition region.

4. The breeding cage as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the oviposition tray defines an oviposition side on which eggs are oviposited by adult female insects.

5. The breeding cage as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second end cap includes an oviposition tray mounting formation defining an oviposition compartment within which the oviposition tray is located in an arrangement wherein the oviposition side of the oviposition tray faces the internal chamber, the oviposition tray mounting formation defining an access opening at an external side of the second end cap through which the oviposition tray can be inserted into and removed from the oviposition compartment, the second end cap further defining a window at an internal side of the second end cap through which adult female insects can access the oviposition tray from the internal chamber of the breeding cage in order to lay eggs on the oviposition tray.

6. The breeding cage as claimed in claims 1 to 5, wherein the side wall of the breeding cage has a cylindrical configuration.

7. The breeding cage as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the breeding cage includes at least one lamp for illuminating the mating region.

8. A breeding system for breeding insects, including a breeding cage as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6; and a ventilation system for generating an air flow in the internal chamber of the breeding cage for ventilating the internal chamber.

9. The breeding system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the breeding system includes air flow conditioning means for conditioning the air flow by controlling one or more of a temperature of the air flow, a flow rate of the air flow, a moisture content of the air flow or by introducing one or more substances into the air flow.

10. The breeding system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the ventilation system is operable to generate an air flow in the internal chamber of the breeding cage in a direction from the second end cap towards the first end cap of the breeding cage and wherein the air flow conditioning means is operable to introduce an attractant substance for attracting adult female insects to the oviposition region for laying eggs in the oviposition region, the attractant substance being introduced into the oviposition compartment and entrained in the air flow within the internal chamber of the breeding cage so as to carry the attractant substance from the oviposition region to the mating region.

11. The breeding system as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, which includes a support structure for supporting the breeding cage in a generally horizontal orientation.

12. The breeding system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the support structure is configured for supporting the breeding cage at an inclined angle greater than 0° and less than or equal to 15° relative to a horizontal reference plane, in order to promote displacement of frass and leachate from one end of the breeding cage towards the other end in order to facilitate cleaning of the breeding cage.

13. The breeding system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the inclined angle of the breeding cage relative to a horizontal reference plane, is between 1° and 10°.

14. The breeding system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the inclined angle of the breeding cage relative to a horizontal reference plane, is between 2.5° and 5°.

15. The breeding system as claimed in any one of 8 to 14, which includes a number of the breeding cages arranged in a stacked configuration.

16. The breeding system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the ventilation system is connected to each of the breeding cages in the stack so as to provide a common conditioned air flow through the breeding cages in the stack.

17. The breeding system as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, which includes an attractant distribution system which is connected to each of the breeding cages for providing a common supply of attractant to the oviposition compartments of the breeding cages.

18. The breeding system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein each breeding cage includes at least one light source for illuminating the mating region.

19. The breeding system as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the breeding system includes one or more light sources which are located at a spaced location from the breeding cages for illuminating the mating region of one or more of the breeding cages.

20. The breeding system as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 19, wherein the breeding system is configured for facilitating mating of black soldier fly and ovipositioning of black soldier fly eggs.

21. A method of constructing the breeding cage claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, which includes: providing a flat sheet of a bendable material; folding the flat sheet so as to form an open-ended cylinder having first and second ends; securing folded-over ends of the cylinder to one another; locating one or more retaining rings over the cylinder in order to maintain the cylindrical folded-over configuration of the sheet; sealingly mounting a first end cap to the first end of the cylinder for closing off the first end; and sealingly mounting a second end cap to the second end of the cylinder for closing off the second end.

22. A method of breeding insects, including: providing a breeding cage for holding insects, the breeding cage having a tubular breeding cage defining an internal chamber having a relatively lighter mating region within the internal chamber and a relatively darker oviposition region within the internal chamber which is spaced from the mating region; providing at least one removable oviposition tray in the oviposition region of the internal chamber of the breeding cage; introducing prepupae, pupae and/or adult insects into the mating region of the internal chamber of the breeding cage; allowing adult female insects to travel to the oviposition region of the internal chamber to lay eggs on the oviposition tray; and removing the oviposition tray from the internal chamber after eggs have been laid on the oviposition tray.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, which includes supporting the breeding cage at an inclined orientation greater than 0° and less than or equal to 15° relative to a horizontal reference plane.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the inclined angle of the breeding cage relative to a horizontal reference plane, is between 1 °and 10°.

25. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the inclined angle of the breeding cage relative to a horizontal reference plane, is between 2.5° and 5°.

26. The method as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 25, which includes generating an air flow through the internal chamber of the breeding cage for ventilating the internal chamber.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, includes conditioning the air flow by controlling one or more of a temperature of the air flow, a flow rate of the air flow, a moisture content of the air flow or by introducing one or more substances into the air flow.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, which includes generating an air flow in the internal chamber of the breeding cage in a direction from the second end of the breeding cage towards the first end of the housing and introducing an attractant substance into the air flow for attracting adult female insects to the oviposition region for laying eggs in the oviposition region, the attractant substance being introduced into the oviposition region and entrained in the air flow within the internal chamber of the breeding cage so as to convey the attractant substance from the oviposition region to the mating region.

29. The method as claimed in any one of claims 25 to 28, which includes stacking the breeding cages relative to one another in a stacked configuration.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, which includes providing a common conditioned air flow through the breeding cages in the stack.