CATDOLL : CATDOLL: Can I raise cicadas under a maple tree?

1. Can cicadas be raised under a maple tree?

Hello, Huanren Hexing Seedling Professional Cooperative has a maple base. From the perspective of planting seedlings, if you want to sell greening trees, don't raise cicadas. Cicadas are rich in nutrients and have high medicinal value. In particular, the skin of the cicada is a traditional Chinese medicine, and the idiom "golden cicada sheds its shell" also comes from it. Although the living territory of cicadas is getting smaller and smaller, the number of cicadas in nature has not decreased significantly; now in order to meet market demand, some people have used artificial breeding methods to obtain it.

Generally speaking, it is easy to choose healthy tree species with well-developed root systems, lush growth and more sap for breeding, which is the key to improving breeding efficiency and production. Poplars, elms, willows, tung trees and various fruit trees are all tree species that cicadas like to eat. In addition, dwarf shrubs such as honeysuckle and wax trees are also crops that cicadas like to eat, but cicadas cannot be bred under trees such as pine, cypress, bitter holly and Chinese toon. Because the roots of pine trees have a special pine scent, cicadas do not like to eat them; the sap of neem trees is bitter, so cicada larvae also do not like to eat them.

How many egg branches are planted per unit area of ​​forest depends on the tree species, tree age and density. Generally, about 500 branches are needed for every 667 square meters of forests under 3 years old, and about 800 branches for forests over 3 years old, which will not affect the growth of trees.

2. I want to raise grasshoppers. What kind of trees should I plant? Are there any land requirements?

Many of the cicadas in our hometown are wild. I personally feel that they like cool places, preferably loess and sand. If you want to raise them, you can collect the eggs yourself. Generally, the branches where cicadas lay their eggs will dry up.

3. Where is the best place to grow golden cicadas?

The golden cicada is a representative species of the Cicadidae family. The adult is also called the black grasshopper cicada, commonly known as the cicada turtle, cicada monkey, etc. The breeding method is to first choose a good breeding site, and then go through eight steps: egg collection, post-harvest processing, hatching, sowing, sowing time, harvesting, and collection.

Tools/Raw Materials

Golden Cicada

Steps/Methods

Farming area

Cicadas are mainly bred under forests. Their growth needs can be met under various fruit trees and timber trees. There is no need to invest in building sites or houses, and there is no need to purchase other breeding facilities. my country is rich in forest resources, and it is generally difficult to interplant crops under fruit trees and other trees that are more than three years old. Cicada breeding makes use of the space under trees and grows by sucking the sap from the roots. It can be said that this develops breeding without affecting the growth of trees, killing two birds with one stone. The entire breeding process does not require feeding management, epidemic prevention, etc., and does not occupy labor. If the technology and sales of cicada breeding are solved, cicada breeding is a good project for laid-off workers to develop re-employment and for farmers to engage in the tertiary industry.

Egg collection

The eggs are collected after the cicadas lay eggs in autumn, usually around the seventh month of the lunar calendar. The cicadas use the small thorns on their tails to pierce the tender branches of one-year-old trees and lay their eggs inside the branches, mostly on juicy branches such as fruit trees. After laying eggs, the branches will dry up, so most branches with green lower ends and dry tips have cicada eggs.

Post-harvest processing

After collecting the branches with cicada eggs, remove the dry leaves, cut off the two ends, and bundle thirty branches into a bundle. Spread a layer of sand on the bottom of a large washing basin, and put the bundled branches upright in the basin. Keep the temperature at 28-34 degrees and the humidity moist. Spray it when it is dry. Use a sprayer to spray the branches until they are thoroughly wet.

incubation

The larvae will hatch in about fifteen days. At this time, you will see some larvae crawling up and down on the branches. When about 20% of the larvae have hatched, they should be buried. The burial pit should be selected in an area with many fine and soft hair roots so that the larvae can absorb nutrients from the roots. It is best to choose a plot where honeysuckle is planted. In a plastic pot that is 10 cm long, 40 cm wide and 20 cm high, spread 5 to 10 cm thick fine dry sand on the bottom, place the egg branches in bundles vertically or horizontally on it, and constantly spray mist with a small sprayer to maintain high humidity in the air around the branches of the golden cicada eggs so that excess water droplets are absorbed in the fine sand at the bottom. During the incubation period, the hatching status of the golden cicada eggs should be checked continuously. When a small number of golden cicada larvae are found to be active, the branches and fine sand can be placed in the breeding site for planting.

sowing

Dig the pit into a strip shape, the depth should be mainly to the hairy roots, and the width should be one shovel. Put the branches with hatched larvae into the pit, and the larvae will hug the plant roots by themselves. Be gentle and slow when returning the soil. Do not step on the soil after returning it, and do not water it to ensure ventilation.

Sowing time

Planting time is generally from May to July or from September to October. Dig regular narrow trenches about 10 to 30 cm deep about 1 meter away from the base of the trunk, such as ring, square, triangle, parallel or radial shapes, for the purpose of later digging and harvesting. Cover the soil and compact it after "planting", and keep records of the time, quantity, "planting" trench shape and depth. It should be sunny and frost-proof, with soft, fertile and pollution-free soil; it should not be too dry, nor should it have too high water content or water accumulation, to ensure the normal growth and development of the host plant root system, and the young plants should be tender, developed and juicy. In winter, wheat straw, rice straw, corn straw, etc. should be covered in the planting area to maintain the ground temperature.

Harvest

If there are trees, wrap a circle of transparent tape at one meter to prevent the cicadas from climbing high to metamorphose. Cicadas become adults 15-18 months from the date of sowing.

collection

Cicada eggs are mainly made of wax strips, and cicada egg larvae feed on the juice of plant roots, so it is best to choose a multi-root area when burying. Each branch contains 100-400 cicada eggs, so 500-800 branches per mu are appropriate to ensure the survival rate. Using this method to grow golden cicadas advances the original growth period of 3-15 years to 18 months, the incubation period is increased from the original one year to about 35 days, and the survival rate is increased from the original 6% to about 30%-60%. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for breeding in rural areas.

4. Can cicadas be planted under locust trees?

Yes, any perennial woody plant will do. Just don’t use pesticides and watch out for natural enemies such as ants.