CATDOLL : CATDOLL: Technology and management of breeding golden cicadas (Technology and management methods of breeding golden cicadas)

1. What are the techniques and methods for breeding cicadas?

Cicada breeding method:

1. Golden cicadas are mainly raised under forests. Poplars, willows, elms and various fruit trees can meet their growth needs. Pay attention to trimming high branches to facilitate reproduction.

2. A greenhouse should be built before the cicada emerges from the ground. For breeding, a plot with high and dry terrain and convenient irrigation and drainage should be selected. It is forbidden to build a breeding greenhouse in a low-lying plot that is prone to water accumulation.

3. Cicada eggs are mainly made of white wax strips, and cicada egg larvae feed on the juice of plant roots. It is best to choose an area with many roots.

2. What is the whole process of cicada breeding technology?

1. Feed supply, choose to plant some strong tree species with well-developed root systems, vigorous growth, and more juice, such as poplars, elms, willows, tung trees, or various fruit trees in the orchard. At the same time, some rhizome plants can be intercropped, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, yams, etc. 2. Environmental conditions The "breeding" depth of golden cicadas is about 30-50 cm. The terrain should be sunny and conducive to frost prevention. The soil should be fertile, soft, and unpolluted. It should not be too dry, nor should it have too high a water content or water accumulation. In order to ensure the normal growth and development of the host plant root system, and the tender and juicy young plants, a layer of rice straw, wheat straw, corn straw, etc. can be covered in the breeding area for insulation in winter.

3. Preparation for epidemic prevention: There are many natural enemies of nymphs after they emerge from the tree and adults after they emerge, such as snakes, hedgehogs, rodents, wild cats, toads, etc. Generally, sparrows and mantises like to eat nymphs. At the same time, microorganisms such as green muscardine, white bassiana, and entomogenous algae also pose parasitic hazards. In addition, pollution such as floods, pesticides, and fertilizers also pose great harm to cicadas. Therefore, during the breeding process, we must pay attention to taking corresponding protective measures. The more important seasons are the egg stage on the tree, the occurrence period of "cicada ants", and the emergence period of mature nymphs. The natural enemies of the egg stage on the tree and the occurrence period of cicada ants are mainly ants and red small flower bugs. Generally, you can use 100 times the solution of strong ammonia to wash the egg branches, or DDVP, strong chlorine, etc. to treat the soil.

4. Breeding technology In addition to naturally collecting cicada eggs, general production facilities for adults and nymphs can also build gauze greenhouses to provide space for golden cicada adults to lay eggs. Fruit trees in abandoned orchards can also be used to replant fruit tree seedlings. Fences can be built around fruit tree seedlings using cement columns or bamboo racks, with iron wires in the middle, and a layer of nylon window screen can be covered on the outside. For the adults that have emerged or been collected, they can mate and lay eggs in them. Later, the adults can be retained according to the number, without the need to collect seed sources from the wild. 2. The production of golden cicadas

2,000 cicada seedlings are planted per mu of land, each containing 100 cicada eggs. Generally, the artificial hatching of cicada eggs can reach more than 80%, so the yield per mu of land is about 100-300 kilograms.

3. How to breed cicadas?

1. Breeding

The breeding targets are newly hatched nymphs and eggs that are close to hatching. The branches with eggs collected directly from the wild or from the seed source are concentrated indoors to promote hatching.

Hatching method: In a plastic box 70 cm long, 40 cm wide and 20 cm high, spread 5-10 cm thick fine dry sand on the bottom, place the egg branches in bundles vertically or horizontally on it, and spray mist with a small sprayer to keep the air around the egg branches high in humidity so that excess water droplets are absorbed by the fine sand at the bottom. The hatching of eggs should be checked continuously in the middle. When nymph activity is found, the branches and fine sand can be placed in the breeding place.

Dig regular narrow trenches about 30 to 50 centimeters deep, about 1 meter away from the base of the trunk, under the host plant tree in the breeding place, such as circular, square, triangular, parallel or radial shapes, for the purpose of later digging and harvesting. After "breeding", cover the soil and compact it, and keep records of the time, quantity, "breeding" trench shape and depth.

From the egg stage to the mature nymph (cicada turtle), the cicada needs to grow underground for three winters and summers (actually 2 years): the first year starts in June, the weight of the growth is only about 1 gram, the body and eyes are milky white; the weight grows to about 3 grams in the second year, the body pigment deepens, and the eyes are pink; the nymph (cicada turtle) matures in the third year, weighing 4.5-5 grams, with an average of 210 per kilogram, the body color is brown, and the eyes are dark gray. According to the weight, body color depth and eye color changes, the time and age of the nymph's growth and development can be accurately determined.

2. Harvesting and Processing

The best season for field harvesting is from mid-to-late June (around the summer solstice) to early August (around the beginning of autumn). The most concentrated season is in early July or after the rain. The nymphs (cicada turtles) dig holes in the soft ground with a pair of saw-toothed front feet. After crawling out of the ground, they move on the ground for a short period of time, then climb on tree trunks or trellises to prepare for molting. They emerge as adult cicadas at 4 to 6 in the morning of the next day. You can use a flashlight to catch them on the ground and trunks under trees at night, or catch the young adult cicadas on trees in the early morning.

4. How to breed, plant and manage cicadas?

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Selective breeding of trees

Dwarf fruit trees such as apricot trees, peach trees, apple trees or other dwarf shrubs are good trees for cicada breeding. Pay attention to timely pruning of high branches to facilitate breeding and management; interplant fruit tree seedlings between trees to increase the branches for cicada egg laying; plant cicada eggs under the trees, refer to the "Cicada Breeding Technology" for methods.

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Building a breeding greenhouse

Before the cicadas are about to emerge, build breeding greenhouses, with an area of ​​1 mu each. Use cement columns or bamboo sticks to build fences around the breeding area, with a row spacing of 5 meters. Use bamboo poles to build a frame in the middle, and then pull iron wire to fix it, and then cover it with nylon window screens. For breeding, choose high and dry land with convenient drainage and irrigation. Avoid building breeding greenhouses in low-lying land that is prone to water accumulation.

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Pest management and epidemic prevention

After the cicadas emerge from the ground, they have a strong tendency to move toward light. In the early stage, they should be allowed to enter the greenhouse after they have emerged from the molts. When catching them, they will fly around and bump into the light, causing the death of the seed insects. Therefore, all the cicadas that have emerged from the ground within the first week can be caught, and they can be allowed to naturally emerge and lay eggs after one week. The seed density is about 10,000 per mu, with males and females accounting for about 50% each. Each female cicada can lay 500 to 1,500 eggs. Each greenhouse can provide seeds for the reproduction of cicadas on about 20 mu of land.

About 20 days after the cicadas emerge from their pupae, they can mate and lay eggs. When laying eggs, the cicadas pierce the epidermis of the branches and lay their eggs in the wood. During the mating and egg-laying period, try not to walk around or make noise in the greenhouse to avoid adverse effects on the cicadas.

Since there are many natural enemies of nymphs (cicada turtles) after they emerge from the soil and adults after they emerge from the shells, such as toads, sparrows and mantises, protection work should be done in the greenhouse. In addition, the gauze nets should be checked frequently to prevent the cicadas from escaping.

Microorganisms such as Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae and Entomogenetic algae (cicadae) can cause parasitic damage to cicadas, so protection should be strengthened during breeding. During the period when mature nymphs emerge from the soil, eggs under trees and cicada ants occur, the main natural enemies of cicadas are ants and red flower bugs, so they must be strictly prevented. Strong ammonia can be used for soil treatment.

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Feed supply

Choose healthy tree species with well-developed root systems, lush growth, and more sap, such as poplar, elm, willow, tung, or various fruit trees in the orchard. In addition, intercrop some root and tuber plants, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams.

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Environmental conditions

The appropriate depth for the "breeding" of cicadas is 30 to 50 centimeters. They should be sunny and frost-proof. The soil should be soft, fertile, and pollution-free. It should not be too dry, nor should it have too much water or water accumulation. This ensures that the root system of the host plant grows and develops normally, and that the young plants are tender, developed, and juicy. In winter, the breeding area should be covered with wheat straw, rice straw, corn straw, etc. to maintain the ground temperature.

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Epidemic prevention preparation

There are many natural enemies of nymphs (cicada turtles) after they emerge from the soil and adults after they emerge from their shells, such as toads, snakes, mice, hedgehogs, wild cats, sparrows and mantises, which all like to eat nymphs (cicada turtles). Microorganisms such as Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae and Entomogenetic algae fungi (Cicada fungus) also cause harm. In addition, floods and pollution from pesticides and fertilizers are also harmful to nymphs (cicada turtles) or cicadas.

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Breeding technology

In addition to collecting cicada eggs naturally, we can build gauze greenhouses to provide space for cicada adults to lay eggs. We can use the fruit trees in abandoned orchards to replant fruit tree seedlings, build fences around them with cement columns or bamboo sticks, and then stretch iron wires in the middle, and cover them with nylon window screens. The emerged or collected adults can mate and lay eggs in them, and the number of adults can be retained as needed, without having to collect seed sources from the wild.

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The planting time of cicada

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.

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Harvesting Golden Cicadas

After burying the egg branches for 2-3 years, the cicadas begin to grow and mature gradually. The harvesting period is generally during the summer solstice every year. If there is a heavy rain, the fat and strong nymphs will start to drill out of the ground at 4-5 am, or after the rain, the nymphs will dig a hole in the soft ground with a pair of saw-like front feet. After crawling out of the ground, they will do a short exercise on the ground, and then climb the tree trunk or trellis to prepare to shed their shells. After 2-4 hours, they will shed their skin and become cicadas (cicadas). According to this characteristic of the golden cicada, after the summer solstice every year, if there is no rain and drought, the breeding site can be artificially irrigated to induce the cicadas to emerge. Before the cicadas emerge, or before the cicadas mature, a circle of smooth plastic film can be tied around the tree trunk 30 cm above the ground to prevent the cicadas from continuing to crawl up the tree for easy harvesting. You can also use a flashlight to illuminate and catch them on the ground and tree trunks under the tree at night. Or catch the young adult cicadas on the tree in the early morning.

Precautions

The most important seasons are the egg stage on trees, the occurrence of cicada ants, and the emergence of mature nymphs. The natural enemies of the egg stage on trees and the occurrence of cicada ants are mainly ants and red flower bugs. The treatment measures are to use 100 times the solution of strong ammonia to wash the egg-bearing branches or DDVP, strong chlorine, etc. to treat the soil.

5. What is the most effective way to raise cicadas?

1. Breeding base

Cicadas are mainly bred under forests. Their growth needs can be met under various fruit trees and timber trees. Generally, fruit trees over three years old and other trees can be used as breeding places for cicadas. This type of wood contains more juice and is very suitable.

2. Collecting eggs

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 Celsius and the humidity at 60%. Spray it when it is dry. Use a sprayer to spray the branches until they are thoroughly wet.

3. Incubate

The larvae will hatch in about fifteen days. During the hatching period, the eggs of the cicada should be checked continuously. If a small number of cicada larvae are found active, the branches and fine sand can be placed in the breeding place and buried with soil.

4. Breeding environment

In the process of breeding cicadas, it is necessary to maintain suitable temperature and humidity, especially in the hot summer season. Ventilation and moisture retention are required to prevent the cicada's shell from drying out and cracking. In winter, incense should be burned in the garden to prevent the cicada from suffering from frost damage.

6. What are the methods for breeding cicadas and what precautions should be taken?

When breeding cicadas, you can first build a gauze greenhouse to provide them with enough space for laying eggs or collect cicada eggs naturally. Of course, we can also adapt to local conditions, such as using fruit trees in abandoned orchards or directly replanting some fruit tree seedlings. Then build a large frame fence around it, mostly using bamboo sticks or concrete columns. Remember to pull some iron wire in the middle; then cover the outside with nylon window screen. Most of us will choose the best time to harvest cicada eggs in greenhouse breeding in mid- or late September.

When we choose trees for breeding cicadas, we mainly choose dwarfed fruit trees. For example, apple trees, apricot trees, peach trees, etc. There are also others, such as: shrub species seedlings are also suitable for their breeding space and environment. Of course, in order to allow cicadas to lay eggs better, we must trim the high branches of the fruit trees in time, so that it is more convenient for us to manage them. If we use the gaps between trees to plant fruit tree seedlings, this can increase the number of branches and eggs for them to lay eggs. Because most of them choose to lay eggs under the branches, we can use the new technology of breeding cicadas as a reference.

Most cicadas are very afraid of light after they emerge from the soil and become adults. So we can wait until they emerge from the molts before entering the greenhouse. Because when we catch them, they may fly around because of the strong light and visual stimulation, which may cause them to die in large numbers. So before catching them, we can wait for a week for all the cicadas that are about to emerge from the soil to let them naturally molt and lay eggs. However, the density of our seed is about 1,000 cicadas per acre, with half males and half females, because each female cicada can lay about 600 to 1,500 eggs, so each greenhouse can use about 20 acres of land for them to breed and lay eggs.

It is worth noting that when the cicadas are mating and laying eggs, we should try not to make loud noises near the greenhouse, so as to provide a better environment for the cicadas to ensure the quality and quantity of their eggs. We should avoid their bad influence. If they all emerge from the soil and become adults, they will grow wings, and the natural enemies of the cicadas will appear. For example, sparrows, mantises, toads, etc. Therefore, as farmers, we should frequently check whether there are any broken places in the gauze net, which can not only better prevent the cicadas from flying out of the greenhouse, but also reduce the damage to them by other animals.

In fact, the golden cicada is also called Zhiliao. It not only has delicious meat, but also has great medicinal functions when it falls off its shell. On the table, it is called "Tang Monk Meat". Just by hearing the name, you can know that its taste and nutritional value are very high and special, so breeding cicadas has become one of the most popular breeding projects in recent years.

7. How to breed cicadas?

1. Choose trees

Generally speaking, tree species with well-developed lateral roots, juicy branches, and large annual growth, and trees over three years old are more suitable for growing cicadas. Apricot trees, peach trees, pear trees, and apple trees are all more suitable for growing cicadas. For chicken farmers, such trees are also more suitable for raising native chickens under the forest. You can raise native chickens and grow cicadas under the forest, killing two birds with one stone.

2. Construction of gauze greenhouse

You can build a screen shed in the orchard, use cement pillars or bamboo sticks to build a fence around it, and then pull iron wire in the middle, and cover it with nylon window screen. You can catch some cicada monkeys and put them in, and wait for them to naturally emerge. Or you can directly catch adult cicadas. Generally, they mate in a ratio of 1:1 between male and female, and female cicadas can generally lay about 500 eggs.

The cicadas can mate and lay eggs about 20 days after they emerge from their pupae. During the mating and egg-laying period, try not to walk around or make noise in the greenhouse to avoid adverse effects on the cicadas.

3. Collecting Egg Strips

There are some special farms that cultivate cicada ants, and you can directly buy cicada larvae. Breeders with better skills can cultivate them themselves. There are cracks on the egg strips that look like they have been cut by a knife, and cicada eggs are laid in these tiny cracks. Eggs are usually laid on one-year-old tender strips. Most branches that are green at the bottom and dry at the end have cicada eggs. The general process is to do the work of laying golden cicada eggs in autumn and winter, and they can be hatched and planted from March to July every year.

4. Incubation

If you buy larvae directly, you don't need to hatch them. Egg strips are usually collected around the seventh month of the lunar calendar. After collection, remove the dry leaves from the branches and cut off the ends. 30-50 strips are bundled together. If the number of eggs collected is small, you can use a washing basin.

Spread a layer of sand on the bottom and place the bundled branches upright in the pot.

If there are a large number of larvae, you can make a hatching rack yourself. Use a few thick branches or metal mesh to support a platform, and place the tree branches on it. Under the platform, put a large piece of plastic film (some of the hatched white larvae will fall on it), and sprinkle some fine sand that has been screened and dried on the plastic film.

The suitable temperature for hatching is 28--35℃, and an incubator is required. For chicken farmers who have a brooding room, this is not a difficult task, and cicadas can be hatched in the brooding room. The technical requirements for cicada breeding are very strict. For example, during the incubation period of cicada eggs, the temperature and humidity of the incubation must be strictly controlled. Fluctuating temperatures can easily cause the death of cicada eggs; too dry will cause the hatching rate of cicada eggs to drop significantly, and too wet will cause the cicada eggs to suffocate and die.

In order to keep the branches moist, regular inspections and observations are required every day. Generally, water should be sprayed 4-6 times a day. The incubation time is about 15 days. After the larvae hatch, they will climb up and down the branches, and some will accidentally fall into the fine sand. When about 30% of the larvae have hatched, it is time to prepare for sowing.

4. Sowing

When the ground temperature is kept above 10℃ during the day, you can sow seeds. The planting time is generally from May to July or from September to October. Choose healthy tree species with well-developed root systems, lush growth, and more juice, such as poplar, elm, willow, tung or various fruit trees in the orchard. In addition, intercrop some rhizome plants, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams. Before sowing, use a tiller to plow the sandy soil in the woods to make it softer, and sprinkle an appropriate amount of water to make the soil loose and moist. You can cover a layer of hay or wheat straw under the tree where you plan to raise cicadas and sprinkle water to soak it so that the tree can grow a large number of capillary roots, providing a good environment for the growth of small cicadas.

8. How to plant and manage cicadas?

1. Hatching: The cicada eggs collected from the wild or farms should be hatched in the city. The hatching temperature of cicada eggs is 30~35, so it is necessary to build a special hatching and insulation room (when the temperature is high in June, the insulation room is not needed). Cover the hatching box with a 5~10 cm thick layer of fine sand, and use a spraying equipment to continuously spray water mist around the branches to keep the surrounding air in a high humidity state.

2. Loosen the soil in the orchard. Use a rotary tiller to deep plow the land under the orchard or woods, then wet it with water. After the soil absorbs the water, the ground will become dry and cracked, making it easier for the cicada larvae to crawl into the underground through the cracks and live.

3. After the cicada eggs hatch, you can put branches and fine sand into the breeding place, allowing the cicada larvae to crawl into the ground through the cracks and grow.

4. Open drainage ditches. After the cicada larvae enter the ground, if it is in a relatively humid environment, they are likely to die, so it is necessary to open drainage ditches to drain rainwater in time. In addition, if the site is too dry, it should also be kept wet to prevent the death of the cicada.

5. Build an anti-escape net. You can use bamboo sticks and nylon screen cloth to build a simple sky net to prevent the cicadas from escaping after metamorphosis.

6. Insulation. In winter, a layer of straw should be covered on the land where cicadas are raised. This can not only keep the land warm but also keep it moist, which is conducive to the safe overwintering of cicadas.