CATDOLL : CATDOLL: How to breed locusts?

How to breed locusts?

Locust breeding method:

1. Construction of locust breeding shed and preparation of shed land

Before building the shed, first use methods such as capture, trapping, and burning to eliminate all ants and mole crickets on the ground. These animals are natural enemies of locusts and can prey on locusts and destroy locust eggs, so these animals must not be allowed to exist in the shed. The floor of the shed should be 10 to 15 cm higher than the surrounding ground. Sandy loam is the best soil, which is not easy to clump and is convenient for laying eggs and taking eggs. Plant single-leaf crops such as wheat on the ground where the shed is built to prepare food for young locusts. The construction area of ​​the shed should be determined according to the number of locusts to be raised. If you raise 10,000 locusts, you only need 15 square meters. You can use the vacant space inside and outside the yard. According to your own conditions, you can use iron, big sticks, and bamboo strips to build a shed support. Then, according to the size of the shed, use cold cloth to make a shed cover like a mosquito net, hang it on the shed, bury the bottom edge in the ground, and leave a door. Install a zipper on the door. This device is to prevent locusts from running out and to facilitate feeding and management in the shed. The height of the shed can be 1.5 to 2 meters. In order to keep warm or prevent rain, plastic sheets can be placed outside the shed. When the temperature is high and the locusts are large (over 3 years old) and are not afraid of rain, plastic sheets can be omitted. If natural conditions are used to breed migratory locusts, the construction of the shed must be completed before the end of April. It is best to choose a place with plenty of sunlight.

2. Hatching and management of locust eggs

When the temperature reaches 25-30℃ (early May), it can be hatched. First, prepare non-toxic soil and sawdust (at a ratio of 2:1, with a water content of 10%-15%), and spread them in a 2-3 cm container. After that, spread the locust eggs evenly on the soil, cover the eggs with about 1 cm thick soil, and then put a film on the container. Check every half a day, and after finding the young locusts, use a soft brush to move the young locusts to the food in the shed. After 12-15 days of incubation, all the young locusts are hatched. Young locusts like to eat fresh monocotyledonous plants such as wheat seedlings, corn seedlings, and weeds, but they eat very little. Young locusts from 1 to 3 years old should be protected from rain. The temperature should be controlled at 25-30℃, the light should be more than 12 hours, and the humidity should be kept at about 15%, because under such conditions, locusts are most active, like to eat, and are conducive to growth. Migratory locusts like to live in groups.

3. Feeding and management of insects from the third instar to adults

Young locusts shed their skin every 5 to 7 days after laying eggs, and each shed is one age. Strong ones shed quickly, weak ones shed slowly, and there are also differences in the order of emergence during the hatching process. Those over 3 years old fly very fast, and their appetite gradually increases. At this time, it is necessary to ensure that there is sufficient food in the shed. In addition, there will be a phenomenon of strong eating weak and big eating small, especially the locusts that are molting and cannot move. Their physique is very soft, and there is a risk of being eaten and bitten. Locusts over 3 years old can be fed with wheat bran. Clean the shed once every 1 to 2 days to keep the shed clean. After 5 molting, the locusts grow into adults, which is around June 15. Migratory locusts generally enter sexual maturity 10 to 15 days after emergence and begin to mate. At this time, the migratory locusts are very fat and strong. Except for some locusts that lay eggs, the other locusts can be sold in the market, preferably in early July.

4. Management before and after locust laying eggs

After mating, the abdomen of female locusts gradually becomes thicker and longer, and the yellow-brown color deepens, while that of male locusts is bright yellow. At this time, the ground of the shed should be neatly tamped to facilitate the female locusts to lay eggs. If there are few large migratory locusts in the shed, in order to concentrate the eggs and facilitate the egg collection in the future, part of the ground in the shed can be covered with plastic cloth, leaving only part of the ground in the sunny area as the egg-laying area. The relative humidity in the shed is maintained at about 15%. At this time, the locusts have a large appetite and should be carefully provided. Female locusts begin to lay eggs around July 10. The ovipositor of female locusts is short and curved, with two pairs of hard chisel-shaped ovipositors, which are used to drill holes in the soil to lay eggs. While laying eggs, a gelatinous liquid is secreted, which forms a water-resistant protective layer outside the eggs after solidification, surrounding the eggs into an egg mass, which protects the eggs from wintering.

The egg mass of locusts is brown, slightly cylindrical, slightly curved in the middle, and generally 40 to 70 mm long. Each locust egg has 35 to 90 eggs, and a few have more than 100 eggs. This is a summer locust. The eggs are laid in the soil in the shed and used to hatch the eggs of the second generation of "autumn locusts". They can be left untouched in the shed. When the temperature, humidity, light and other conditions meet the hatching conditions, the second generation of autumn locusts will naturally emerge from the ground, which will be between July 20 and 25. The eggs that are ready for sale or not used for the second generation should be taken out in time, and the soil with a humidity of 10% to 15% should be used. The eggs should be placed in a large canning bottle, the bottle mouth should be sealed, and stored in a refrigerator at 5°C. The feeding conditions before and after egg laying are basically the same as those for locusts over 3 years old. The difference is that the light should reach 16 hours a day, the feed should be sufficient and more concentrated feed should be added.

5. Wintering management of locust eggs

The overwintering of locust eggs is very simple. The eggs in the shed can be left to overwinter in situ. After winter, the locust egg-laying area can be covered with some weeds to keep warm.

6. Locusts’ food preferences and natural enemies

①. Locusts feed on a wide range of food, just like feeding sheep. They like to eat: reeds, thatch, wolfsbane, thread grass, coil grass, etc. Corn, wheat, sorghum, millet, etc. of the Gramineae family are plants that locusts do not like to eat.

② When collecting food for locusts, be careful not to use food with pesticides. If you are not sure about the food you collected, you can wash it in water before feeding it.

In addition, it is important to note and remind that novice breeders can purchase seeds from farms or breeders, and can introduce either grasshoppers or eggs.

Introduction of locusts

Locusts are a type of Orthoptera insect. They have a pair of well-developed membranous inner wings that are good at flying, and well-developed hind legs that are good at jumping. Due to Xinjiang's vast territory, complex terrain, great differences in climate between the north and south of Xinjiang, and diverse vegetation types, there are many species of locusts and their numbers are astonishing. According to locust expert Mr. Chen Yonglin, more than 160 species of locusts have been found in Xinjiang, of which 128 are mainly distributed in the north and 52 in the south. Such a large number of locusts has led to constant locust plagues in Xinjiang.

All locusts in Xinjiang belong to the family Acrididae, which is divided into the subfamily Migratory Locust, the subfamily Clinoideae, the subfamily Cone-headed Locust, and the subfamily Lepronotinae. In addition to the Asian migratory locust and the bamboo locust, there are 12 species of ground locusts that do not migrate in groups. Locusts are vegetarians that mainly feed on grass plants. The main types that cause harm to agriculture include: Asian migratory locust, small pad pointed wing locust, Italian locust, etc. Locusts that cause harm to pastures include: Siberian locust, pasture locust, small car locust, etc.

In the vegetation-rich northern Xinjiang, locusts are mostly grass-dwelling and forest-dwelling. Even here, locusts are everywhere even after pesticides have just been applied. If you walk around in the grass, two or three locusts will jump up from under your feet almost every step. In places with abundant water and grass, such as the Nalati Grassland, locusts are mostly yellow-brown, green and yellow in color, and the tall grass covers the locusts. In the hot southern Xinjiang, the wilderness is mostly bare, with few plants and trees, but locusts can still be found. However, the locusts here are mostly open-air dwellers. Although there is no cover from plants, the locusts blend into the Gobi Desert with their rock-like color. If you don't look carefully, it is difficult to find them. It is really a perfect mimicry protection. In addition, the locusts in southern Xinjiang are more sensitive and good at flying, so it is not easy to catch them.

In Xinjiang, people mainly use airplanes to spray pesticides over large areas to kill locusts. Pesticides will kill other animals at the same time as the locusts, some of which may be beneficial to humans. In this way, the ecosystem will be destroyed, and the destruction of the ecosystem is likely to lead to the rampage of locusts, which will fall into a vicious cycle. Pesticides will also have a certain impact on animal husbandry. In order to prevent livestock from being poisoned, livestock will be driven away from the grassland during the effective period of the pesticide, and can only be grazed after the effective period has expired.

What is the best way to kill locusts? Locust expert Chen Yonglin said that killing locusts should focus on changing the ecology. So we should first classify locusts, divide locust areas, and study their living habits. Only in this way can we find a more efficient, faster, better, and more economical way to kill locusts. After a few days of investigation and thinking, I had an idea about killing locusts:

First, we can start with the ecological environment of locusts. It is known that locusts lay their eggs in places with 10% to 20% water content. Therefore, we can plant a large number of plants near the water to leave no place for locusts to lay eggs, thus achieving the goal of eliminating locusts.

Second, the locusts can be killed in large numbers by introducing natural enemies. The natural enemies of locusts can be basically divided into two categories: predators and parasites. Predators such as pink starlings have a nesting period from mid-June to early July, with 3-4 chicks in each nest. A chick can eat an average of 137 Siberian locusts per day, and an adult can eat 167 Siberian locusts per day. In addition, parasitic insects such as the larvae of the spotted hydrangea, bee flies, and the black egg wasp can parasitize in the egg sacs of locusts. In the Tianshan Mountains, it has been found that flesh flies parasitize in the larvae or adults of some locusts. However, in the process of using natural enemies to kill locusts, we must be careful not to control the locust plague but bring about another disaster.

Third, the side effects of pesticides are too great, and the long-term use of a single formula of pesticides will make locusts resistant to the pesticides themselves, making it more difficult to control locust plagues. I think we should study some insecticides that are specifically effective against locusts or pathogens or fungi that specifically infect locusts. For example, a fungus currently used in Xinjiang, called Green General, only infects locusts and kills them. In addition, since locusts need to shed their skin when they develop into adults, we can develop an insecticide that specifically inhibits molting, so that locusts cannot develop normally, thereby playing a role in suppressing locust plagues.

Fourth, during the mating season of locusts, we can kill a large number of locusts of a certain sex, reduce their mating probability, and indirectly control reproduction. For example, when mating, female locusts often use sounds or smells to attract male locusts. Then, we can imitate this sound or smell to attract male locusts, and then build a circle of electric nets around them to kill the male locusts that fall into the trap. However, killing male locusts is not as effective as killing female locusts, because some female locusts have been found to have parthenogenesis - that is, female locusts can reproduce offspring without mating with male locusts, and the offspring are all female.

Fifth, it is not enough to just eliminate locusts. It is better to turn them into treasures. Now in Xinjiang, some people raise chickens and ducks in large numbers. Chickens and ducks will eat locusts, so locusts become feed for chickens and ducks. There is already a locust breeding industry in my country. There are many types of locusts in Xinjiang, and the number is large. There is no shortage of raw materials. If breeding can be successful, it can make some contribution to Xinjiang's economic construction.

Sixth, in the course of historical evolution, locusts and their food, plants, have co-evolved, a process in which they adapt to each other's changes. Plants develop their own defense mechanisms to prevent themselves from being eaten as food. In order to adapt to the changes of plants, locusts also develop themselves.

It can be seen that on the one hand, locusts promote the diversity of plant development, and on the other hand, plants also promote the diversity of locusts. As a member of the biosphere, locusts play an important role in the development of the ecosystem. Herbivorous locusts can also decompose the feces of animals in the grassland ecosystem, making it more conducive to soil absorption and converting it into protein for herbivorous animals to eat along with plants. In view of this, we must think twice before we act to what extent we should control locusts.

If you like to eat, this is a very good recipe:

It can be introduced like this -

Locusts, commonly known as "grasshoppers", have chewing mouthparts and are herbivorous insects.

Its antennae are short and whip-like, and it has powerful hind legs that it can use to jump to avoid its predators. Its body color is green and brown, which is the protective color of its living environment.

Locusts have large mouths and well-developed jaws and feed on plant leaves. They like to eat reeds, barnyard grass, white grass, dogtooth grass, wormwood, shrimp grass and sea salis.

There are more than 12,000 species in the world, distributed in tropical, temperate grasslands and desert areas around the world.

Locusts are extremely numerous and have strong vitality. Most of them are important pests of crops. They may erupt in large numbers during severe droughts, causing disasters to nature and humans.

It can be introduced like this -

Locusts, commonly known as "grasshoppers", have chewing mouthparts and are herbivorous insects.

Its antennae are short and whip-like, and it has powerful hind legs that it can use to jump to avoid its predators. Its body color is green and brown, which is the protective color of its living environment.

Locusts have large mouths and well-developed jaws and feed on plant leaves. They like to eat reeds, barnyard grass, white grass, dogtooth grass, wormwood, shrimp grass and sea salis.

There are more than 12,000 species in the world, distributed in tropical, temperate grasslands and desert areas around the world.

Locusts are extremely numerous and have strong vitality. Most of them are important pests of crops. They may erupt in large numbers during severe droughts, causing disasters to nature and humans.

Locusts are insects of the family Acrididae and the order Orthoptera. Commonly known as grasshoppers, there are many species, with more than 10,000 species worldwide. They are distributed in tropical and temperate grasslands and deserts around the world. They have hard mouthparts, narrow and tough forewings that cover the hind wings, which are very thin and suitable for flying. Their hind limbs are well developed and they are good at jumping. They mainly harm plants in the Gramineae family and are agricultural pests.

Insecta, Orthoptera. Incomplete metamorphosis (no pupae, larvae and adults look similar), leathery forewings, membranous hindwings, foldable. Strong hind legs, good at jumping. Chewing mouthparts, herbivorous. Important agricultural and forestry pests, sometimes swarming to cause disasters.