WO2022180131A1

WO2022180131A1 - Weighing of insect larvae

Info

Publication number: WO2022180131A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/054580
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dirk WESSENDORF
Original assignee: Illucens Gmbh
Priority date: 2021-02-24
Filing date: 2022-02-23
Publication date: 2022-09-01

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining a quantity of insect larvae hatched from eggs by producing a difference between the weights of an egg carrier at two points in time, insects having hatched from the eggs between the points in time.

Description

'Weighing of insect larvae'

The present invention relates to a method and a device for determining a quantity of insect larvae hatched from eggs and the use of an evaluation unit for determining a quantity of insect larvae hatched from eggs. In an aspect which independently establishes the invention, an egg carrier for laying insect eggs is described.

The protein requirements of humans and/or animals can be met by providing insects that can be bred and produced industrially in particular. The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) comes into consideration as an insect for industrial breeding, as it combines the desired properties of an insect. The larvae of the black soldier fly gain weight quickly and biological residues can be used to feed the larvae.

Determining the quantity of insect larvae hatched from eggs (hatch amount) is important for effectively rearing the corresponding insect larvae. The quantity of insect larvae that hatched can, for example, determine the amount of food required.

The usual way is to try to determine the number of eggs laid by stripping the eggs and then weighing them. Egg-laying facilities where eggs were laid are disassembled and the eggs are then replaced with a carefully scraped off with a fine spatula in order to then weigh them out as a total quantity. Both unfertilized and fertilized eggs are detected and the eggs and/or the object in which the eggs are placed may be damaged. The activity requires skill and is laborious.

Another way to determine the number of insect larvae that hatched is to observe whether the insect larvae have slipped into a container with or without dry substrate and weigh the total number of insect larvae that have hatched together with the substrate and divide the difference in weight determined by the average weight of an insect larva .

A typical problem of known systems is the non-destructive extraction of the egg quantities to be weighed or the uninterrupted supply of the insect larvae that hatch with sufficient food in order to prevent the fresh insect larvae from dying before they can be fed. A differentiation between living and dead larvae is not possible with any of these types of determination of the number of animals. In addition, when calculating the difference, it is difficult to state the exact reference weight, since when hatched larvae are weighed, their excretions, for example, can also be included in the measurement result.

The object of the invention is to provide a method, a device and a use with which the disadvantages known from the prior art can be at least partially overcome, in particular to determine a more precise quantity of the insect larvae that have hatched.

The object is solved with the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous configurations emerge from the respective dependent claims and the description.

According to a core idea of the invention, negative weighing of an egg carrier is proposed. The egg carrier can be weighed at two different points in time, with the weight difference yielding the quantity of insect larvae that have hatched. This makes it possible to precisely determine the quantity and to implement dosages according to a certain number of live hatched larvae. By pre-weighing (first time) and re-weighing (second time) the occupied egg carrier, the exact amount of eggs and thus the required amount of food or number of containers (amount of space) for the hatching insect larvae can be determined. Efficient rearing of the insect larvae can be greatly promoted in this way, since they can be portioned according to quantity or weight and then, for example, kept warm for a specified period of time. In contrast to the prior art, no reference weight influenced by additional external circumstances has to be assumed for calculating the difference. Rather, the hatching of larvae leads to a reduction in the weight of the egg carrier. The change in weight of the egg carrier is caused by nothing other than the hatching of the larvae. The weight before and after hatching of the larvae can be determined accurately, although paradoxically the weight of the hatched larvae is not determined directly but by difference.

As used in the specification, the term "hatching" of the insect larvae includes hatching from the egg and not larval emergence.

The term "quantity" as used in the description includes a number, weight or mass of the hatched insect larvae. If an average weight of an insect larva or a mass of an insect larva is given or if this is known, the number of insect larvae that hatched can be determined from the determined difference in weight or mass of the egg carrier between the two points in time. The insects can in particular be insects of the genus “hermetia illucens”.

The ovipositor can be placed in a fly space into which gravid insects (female insects with fertilized eggs) can be attracted to lay eggs. The term "fly room" includes a room in which the ovipositor is offered to pregnant insects to lay their eggs. The access to the fly space can be designed in such a way that non-pregnant insects have no incentive to enter the fly space through the access designed as a channel, passage, opening or the like. The gravid insects can be attracted into the fly chamber by supplying an attractant for attracting the gravid insects which is not an attractant for non-pregnant insects. The feeding of the attractant can be limited in time and/or changed spatially, so that insects are no longer lured into the fly space and/or are lured out of the fly space.

Provision can be made for the fly space to be connected to an insemination chamber by means of the access designed as a duct, passage, opening or the like. Access can either be closed or opened.

The term "fertilization chamber" includes a chamber that contains both female and male insects for the purpose of fertilizing the eggs. The conditions in the insemination chamber are chosen to be as favorable as possible for insemination in terms of temperature, humidity and light radiation. In particular, the insemination chamber, the fly space and the connection between the insemination chamber and the fly space can be as hermetically sealed as possible, so that the insects capable of flight cannot freely enter the environment.

The conditions around the egg carrier in the fly space can be optimized for egg laying. For example, the egg carrier can be arranged in a light shadow.

In an aspect that independently justifies the invention and a second core idea, it is also possible to create an egg-laying facility in the form of an egg carrier, which always maintains a constant weight regardless of the climatic conditions, in order to enable exclusive weighing of the laid eggs. The egg-laying system or the egg carrier can be made of plastic and, in particular, be reusable. Weight changes due to climatic changes can thus be avoided, as a result of which the determination of the quantity can be further improved. With the egg carrier, the requirements of the insects can still be taken care of. A suitable material, in particular in the form of a plastic, makes it possible to use a material that can be weight-stable under a wide variety of climatic conditions and/or cannot absorb or release moisture either directly or indirectly. The egg carrier can be honeycombed or have honeycombs for laying eggs. The egg carrier can have a modular structure, so that several egg carriers can be combined to form a "larger" unit, for example. It is also possible for the egg tray to be coated or covered with a plastic, so that there can be a certain degree of flexibility in the material of the egg tray. The "core" of the egg carrier can be made of another material, which may not be moisture-resistant. Covering or coating the core with a plastic can result in the weight-stable design of the egg tray even when the egg tray is exposed to moisture.

The egg tray can preferably have polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyurethane (PU) and/or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as the material that forms at least the surface of the egg tray.

In the egg carrier, in particular honeycomb-shaped recesses in the form of tubular and/or channel-like depressions (similar to blind holes) and/or tubular and/or channel-like passages (openings without a bottom) can be formed, which can be designed in such a way that the Pregnant insects prefer to lay their eggs in these depressions or passages. The dimensions of the depressions or passages can have an extent of a few millimeters in cross section, in particular an extent of up to 10 mm is preferred, particularly preferably up to 5 mm, more preferably an extent of up to 4 mm, more preferably one Extension up to 3 mm, more preferably an extension up to 2 mm. The shape of the indentations or passages may be circular, elliptical, semi-circular, square or other shape in a plan view of the indentation or passage (in the sense of a cross section). It is preferred if the indentations or passages are arranged essentially uniformly on the ovum in the same shape and dimensions, so that equally good conditions for oviposition can be created at desired locations on the ovum and essentially homogeneous oviposition is possible.

According to both of the core ideas mentioned, which can also be freely combined with one another, the quantity of living, hatching larvae can be determined as accurately as possible without interfering with the development of the insect larvae.

It can also be achieved alternatively or additionally that insect larvae that are almost the same age are taken into account or reared together, as a result of which the insect larvae can be largely of the same size.

A modular structure of the egg carrier allows easy separation of laid eggs in order to put the eggs to different uses. For example, it is possible that eggs for the rearing of adult insects, which in turn can lay eggs, are separated from eggs that can be separated for the rearing of insect larvae, which are "harvested" at this stage of insect rearing.

The insects can lay eggs in an egg carrier, which can be in the form of plastic honeycomb. The egg carrier can be weighed before it is placed in the fly room. In the fly room, the egg carrier can be offered to the insects as an opportunity to lay eggs for a certain period of time. After the time has elapsed, the egg tray with the deposited eggs, in particular the occupied combs, can be removed and weighed again. The difference between the two weighings can indicate the exact weight of the quantity of eggs deposited. In any event, determining the weight of the ovipositor with the laid eggs can provide a starting point for determining the quantity of larvae subsequently hatched from the eggs.

The egg carrier can remain in the fly room for the larvae to hatch or be taken to a separate hatching room from the fly room, in which optimal conditions are set for the larvae to hatch, which can relate to temperature, humidity and/or exposure to light. If the egg carrier remains in the fly space, the conditions can be adapted to optimal conditions for the hatching of the larvae. If the setting of temperature, humidity and/or exposure to light is described, the above variables can be set in a control circuit or uncontrolled, in particular via a climate and/or light control, which can be part of an overall control of the breeding facility for insects.

The egg carrier can be connected to a measuring device (weight determination device) which determines the mass or the weight of the egg carrier. In particular, it can be provided that the egg carrier is attached to the measuring device under the influence of gravity. Provision can also be made for several egg carriers to be put together (in the form of a package) and connected to the measuring device, in particular suspended from the measuring device under the action of gravity.

Provision can be made for the egg carrier to remain connected to the measuring device at all times, in particular in a functional context, as a result of which the weight of the egg carrier can be continuously recorded. With such a permanent connection, it can be provided that the egg carrier can be released from the measuring device at least temporarily, so that the measuring device does not have to determine the weight of the egg carrier for a predetermined period of time and the measuring device can be relieved. For example, the egg carrier can hang freely for this predetermined period of time. However, it can also be provided that the egg carrier is only connected to the measuring device, for example manually, for the purpose of determining the weight.

The term "weight determining device" or measuring device can be designed for determining the mass of the egg carrier and/or determining the force that acts on the egg carrier due to the force of gravity. Any embodiment is possible; Force sensors and/or scale-like devices, in particular electronic and/or electric scales, are possible.

The egg carrier can be arranged hanging freely in space. The egg tray or egg trays can be arranged in a frame (or device for hanging the egg tray) connected to the measuring device. In particular, the egg tray or trays can be hung in an open frame connected to the measuring device. This allows the egg carrier with the eggs to hang freely in a frame.

The frame can offer the possibility that the egg carrier can be decoupled from the measuring device, for example in order to relieve the measuring device. The egg carrier can be moved in space by means of the frame. For example, the frame can be moved together with the egg carrier for the time when the larvae hatch from the eggs over a collection device in which the hatched larvae can be collected. Alternatively or additionally, a collecting device can be moved under the egg tray at least for the time the larvae are hatching from the eggs.

In a preferred embodiment, the egg carrier is arranged above a collecting device, for example in the form of a box, a container or the like, which is in particular filled with food for a specific quantity of insect larvae. By slipping and dropping into the food, the weight of the egg carrier(s) decreases and when a specified value is reached, the collection device filled with food can be automatically replaced with a new one. Since the egg shell of the insect larvae that hatches and also the unfertilized eggs remain in the egg carrier(s), only the living insect larvae are considered almost exclusively. Since the insect larvae can fall directly into the feed after hatching, the survival rate of the insect larvae is very high. As a result, a predetermined amount of living insect larvae can be dosed and reared in a targeted manner. In addition, it can be made possible to reduce the food-free residence time of the insect larvae, since the insect larvae fall into food immediately after hatching. It is made possible to keep an intervention or a delay in the development of the insect larvae as small as possible.

Provision can preferably be made for the collecting device to be equipped with an amount of feed which is adapted to the quantity of larvae which corresponds to a specified value and for the collecting device to be exchanged or replaced after the specified value has been reached.

For increased, further automation of insect breeding, it can be provided that when a specified value of a quantity is reached, in addition to further stages or stations of breeding, such as bringing the hatched larvae to a rearing station (maturation station), previous stages of rearing the insects be triggered again for continuous rearing, for example to fill more egg trays with eggs. When a specified value of a quantity is reached, a signal can be sent to a control device that intervention by a user or an operator may be necessary. For example, it may be necessary for the collection device to be emptied or for the hatched larvae to be fed to a maturing station. It can also be provided that the transfer of the hatched larvae from the collection device to the maturing station can take place automatically when a predetermined quantity of hatched larvae is reached. Provision can be made for the period of time between egg laying and the point in time at which the quantity is reached to be determined in order to check whether hatching is within the guideline values or whether there is a period of time which indicates a problem, for example a deviation from optimized hatching conditions are present. In this case, an error message can be transmitted to a control device, indicating that an operator has to intervene.

In a preferred embodiment, the hatched larvae can be transferred or moved from the collection device to a rearing station or maturing station by the action of a fluid, in particular air, so that the larvae can be actively moved from the collection device to the maturing station by means of compressed air. As a result, there is no need for complex transport devices that have complex mechanical components, for example in the form of conveyor devices with conveyor belts and/or conveyor lines. In addition, there is no need for operators to transfer heavy containers filled with larvae between the individual stations.

As far as the invention is described in relation to aspects that relate to a method, a device and a use, the individual aspects with their mentioned features complement each other with regard to the design of the features for each of the other aspects, so that in particular features of a method also for the Description of the other aspect using device features or use features apply. If features are described with regard to one aspect, this description is also to be understood as a description for a feature of another aspect.

The above statements, like the following description of exemplary embodiments, do not represent a waiver of specific embodiments or features.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the single figure.

The only figure shows a schematic representation of a device for determining a quantity of insect larvae hatched from eggs.

The figure shows an egg carrier 1 in or on which there is a honeycomb structure into which insects have deposited insect larvae. Furthermore, a weight determination device 2 is provided, by means of which the weight of the egg carrier 1 can be determined. The egg carrier 1 is connected to the weight determination device 2 by the egg carrier 1 is attached to the weight determination device 2. A frame 3 is provided for this purpose.

The device also has an evaluation unit 4 which, in the exemplary embodiment shown, is external to the weight determination device 2 . However, it can also be provided that the weight determination device 2 and the evaluation unit 4 form one unit.

A connection is represented by the dashed line V between the weight determination device 2 and the evaluation unit 4 . A signal that represents the weight of the egg carrier 1 ascertained by the weight determination device 2 can be received by the evaluation unit 4 . The connection V can be wired or wireless.

If the weight of the egg carrier 1 is determined at two different points in time, a weight difference that can represent the quantity of insect larvae that have hatched can be determined.

In the illustrated embodiment, the insect larvae that have hatched are encouraged by food 6 arranged in a collecting device 5 to drop from the egg carrier 1 into the collecting device 5 , which is arranged below the egg carrier 1 .

Claims

patent claims

A method for determining a quantity of insect larvae hatched from eggs by taking a difference in the weight of an egg carrier (1) at two time points between which time points insects have hatched from the eggs.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the egg carrier (1) is provided above a collecting device (5) based on the force of gravity, the egg carrier (1) being weighed at a first time together with the eggs laid on the egg carrier (1) and a later second date when insect larvae have hatched.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein a weight difference is determined, which is adjusted by the insect larvae hatching from the eggs and the insect larvae falling onto the collecting device (5).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an egg carrier (1) is selected on which, in particular honeycomb-shaped, recesses are formed for depositing the eggs.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an egg carrier (1) is selected whose coating or material allows almost no water absorption.

6. The method according to any one of claims 2 or 3 to 5 when dependent on 2, wherein the collecting device (5) is provided with food for the insect larvae.

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 or 3 to 6 if dependent on 2, wherein after reaching a predetermined determined amount of hatched insect larvae, the collecting device (5) is at least partially emptied or replaced by a further collecting device (5).

8. The method according to any one of claims 2 or 3 to 7 if dependent on 2, wherein after a predetermined determined quantity of hatched insect larvae has been reached, at least part of the insect larvae present in the collecting device (5) are fed to a maturing station depending on the determined quantity is supplied.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a honeycomb-shaped body and / or a body with honeycombs is provided as egg carrier (1).

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a plastic is selected as the material for the egg carrier (1).

11. Device for determining a quantity of insect larvae hatched from eggs, which has an egg carrier (1), a weight determination device (2) of the egg carrier (1) and an evaluation unit (4), which is in particular part of the weight determination device (2), wherein the evaluation unit (4) is designed to determine a quantity of hatched insect larvae from a detected weight difference of the egg carrier (1) at two points in time.

12. Device according to claim 11, characterized by a device for hanging storage, which is connected to the weight determination device (2) for determining the weight.

13. Use of an evaluation unit (4) for determining a quantity of insect larvae hatched from eggs, an egg carrier (1) on which the eggs are deposited being used, and the evaluation unit (4) from a detected weight difference of the egg carrier (1) the amount of hatched insect larvae was determined at two points in time.

14. egg tray (1) for depositing insect eggs in an insect farm, wherein the material of the egg tray (1) comprises a plastic.

15. Use of an egg tray (1) for depositing insect eggs in an insect farm, wherein a plastic is used as the material of the egg tray (1).

16. A method for producing an egg tray (1) for depositing insect eggs in an insect farm, wherein the egg tray (1) is formed and coated with a plastic and/or the egg tray (1) is made of a plastic.